Editor’s Note: Can blind
kids do math? With the right skills, tools, motivation, positive expectations,
and supports from parents and teachers, the answer to this question is a resounding
“Yes!” However, the disturbing fact is that hundreds of blind students are routinely
steered away from math and math-related courses. In our technological world,
where math skills are increasingly vital to most jobs and even daily living,
this is simply unacceptable. Although the following material, which is a transcription
of three speeches given at the 2006 convention, would normally be published
in our convention issue, the topic is too important and too timely to wait.
So we have included it in this, our back-to-school issue. Here is a transcription
of the panel discussion. We have edited for clarity and to eliminate repetition;
otherwise we have preserved the original presentations.

The first speech is
from Lindsay Yazzalino, a 2004 Rocket On! Academy participant and a high school
student from Washington State:

My name is Lindsay Yazzalino,
and the reason why I’m speaking today is to give you the perspective of a blind
math student. I’m seventeen years old. I live in Washington State and attend
public high school, where I’m going to be a senior. Currently I’m in the process
of completing an independent study--an AP statistics course.

Some of you guys may be
wondering if blind people are capable of doing math. Well several different
factors have helped me develop skills and succeed in math classes. One of them
is having the right tools to work with. What I mainly use to complete my math
assignments is the Perkins Brailler. I think many of you guys are familiar with
it. It’s like a typewriter. You feed the paper in and, as you type, the paper
comes out, and you get to see exactly what you typed. But since it embosses
only in Braille, I often ask my vision specialists to transcribe the print equivalent
underneath the Braille; that way my math teacher knows exactly what I have done.
Also I have several different tools to make graphs. I use tactile graphing paper,
tacky dots for points (people use these dots to stick vases on tables or stuff
on walls), and to make graph lines I use Wikki Stiks. These are strings covered
in wax. When you press them down on paper, they stick. Basically this is how
I do most of my math assignments.

One of the most important
factors that have enabled me to succeed is the attitude that people have. I’ve
always been in an environment where people--parents, teachers, especially math
teachers--have encouraged me to succeed in math. I’ve never been given the message,
“No, you can’t do it.” That’s important because I have a math brain and I want
to use it and I want to succeed. I’ve always been interested in math, and I
have determination and the attitude that I’m not going to let the fact that
my eyeballs don’t work get in the way.

Also, as I said, using
the Perkins Brailler has helped me succeed because it’s important to be able
to see the whole problem together. If you use a Notetaker with a refreshable
display you only get one line and sometimes that line isn’t very big. Also important
is being able to use the Nemeth code. That’s very important. I’m totally blind
and I use Braille, and Nemeth is the Braille math code. If you are a blind Braille
reader and if you want to succeed in a math class, Nemeth is the Braille standard,
and it’s important to know it.

One other vital factor
that has helped me in math is having good communication with my teachers. Math
teachers will develop different systems, so it is important that you--the student--develop
a system of turning in assignments, knowing what to do, and how to adapt materials
for each class. Often math teachers rely heavily on the overhead. Being able
to have the overhead materials printed up (in Braille) ahead of time, before
class, is a help. But sometimes I need someone in the class (like a vision specialist
or another sighted person) to help me take notes, especially if the math teacher
has a lot of material on the overhead.

Although I’ve mainly encountered
positives, there have definitely been some roadblocks that I’m working to overcome.
One of them is the lack of nonvisual, accessible graphing calculators for the
blind. Teachers rely heavily on graphing calculators, especially in advanced
math classes. The challenge for me is to get my technical skills up in certain
areas so I can use mathematical technology to learn more advanced math subjects.
Also getting math books on time has been a tough one. This year, as I said before,
I’m taking an independent studies class, and my biggest problems have been the
graphing calculator issue and the fact that math books haven’t always come in
on time. And when the math book isn’t on time, keeping up is very difficult.
Oftentimes I can’t keep up because it’s not just the Braille text I need, but
it’s the graphics, and graphics consume a great deal of time for my vision specialists
to make. Also the capability to translate math Braille into print by computer
is not perfected, which means that you have to use the Perkins Brailler and
rely on a sighted person to help translate, and that can be inconvenient.

After I graduate from high
school, I plan to go into a field of math or science. One thing I want to emphasize
again is the importance of attitudes. If you have children who are math students,
don’t allow blindness to hinder them. Encourage them; that’s one of the best
things you can do. Blindness doesn’t have to be an obstacle. It hasn’t been
for me, and it doesn’t have to be for anyone else.

Larry Jacobson, the
second member of the panel, is the executive director of MATHCOUNTS, which is
the math equivalent of the National Spelling Bee. A private non-profit foundation,
MATHCOUNTS conducts an annual nationwide math competition for middle school
students. Last fall they contacted the national NFB office seeking help in getting
an accurate estimate of the cost in making the MATHCOUNTS program accessible
in Braille to potential blind competitors. And the rest, as they say, is history.
From that meeting Barbara Cheadle invited MATHCOUNTS to speak at the NOPBC seminar
at the NFB convention in Dallas and to help NOPBC put together a mock math counts
competition to demonstrate the techniques used by blind people to do math and
as an educational, but also entertaining, way to encourage blind kids and their
parents to think beyond the classroom when considering math. But we will talk
more about the mock competition in a later issue. Here is what Jacobson had
to say:

Good morning, everyone.
I represent MATHCOUNTS, and MATHCOUNTS is a twenty-three-year-old organization
that was formed by CNA Insurance, the National Society of Professional Engineers,
and math teachers. These three groups put together materials with the aim of
helping middle school students become passionate about mathematics. Now they
all had ulterior motives for this: CNA needed actuaries; the professional engineers
needed more professional engineers; and the teachers kind of liked teaching
math. So that was the beginning of it.

Since then it’s developed
into a much more serious business. On the one end, mathematics is the key to
social and economic empowerment--no matter who you are. At the other end of
the scale is a national security issue. That one runs this way: right now we
are retiring more smart mathematicians than we are able to hire young, smart
mathematicians. To give you one statistic, Lockheed Martin--who builds all kinds
of airplanes and neat stuff--will retire 138,000 engineers within the next few
years. There aren’t 138,000 engineers coming out of all of our engineering schools
put together. So this has become something of a looming national crisis that
is understood very well right to the top. In fact, three or four weeks ago I
presented the [MATHCOUNTS] national winners to the President in the Oval Office
and got into a discussion with Mr. Bush about it. He is very much aware about
the national security [implications]. You know, the National Security Agency--NSA,
the spy agency--consumes more mathematicians than any other group in the world.
The Pentagon is number two, in general.

Everything in a digital
world is math, and that’s both good and bad as it applies to blind people, deaf
people, and what I will immoderately call any group of people that has traditionally
been along the fringes. The bad part is that if you don’t have a very good understanding
of mathematics, you are that much more divorced from employment, because everything
has to do with a digital world. On the other hand the digital world opens huge
doors for so many people who may have been on the fringes before.

I deal with brilliant,
brilliant, kids all day long. These kids are so smart that they glow in the
dark. But I’ll tell you, it doesn’t make any difference to the kids at that
level whether you are deaf, blind, have any sort of certifiable handicap, or
disadvantage or advantage. Because in the digital world I’m not so sure there
are disadvantages. There are compensations, but I’m not so sure there are disadvantages.
That’s because the level of sophistication is so high that those who are involved
at the level we are talking about with the kids at the very top end will compensate
for anything. They are all compensating for something, regardless of what it
is. I would throw that out to you as an idea that may not have been embraced
by many. The fact is that every kid out there at this level is compensating
for something.

Over our twenty-three years
of doing math competitions, [we have grown]. We start out now with half a million
kids going into the system. We send materials to 40,000 middle schools. There
is a state competition, there is local competition, and by the time you get
to the nationals, it’s down to 280 kids. These 280 kids and the kids that are
in the state competitions--these are your corporate leaders. These are your
military leaders. This is the leadership group.

One of the interesting
things that we are seeing is that kids who knew each other in MATHCOUNTS in
the middle schools clump together; they find each other on college campuses.
A few weeks ago I got a call from some kids at Yale. They said, “Do you mind
if we use your trademark?”

I said, “What are we talking
about here?”

They said, “Well, we’ve
got a bunch of kids who are old mathletes, and we’d like to get together on
campus and we would like to teach underserved kids in the black and Latino communities
of New Haven.”

Now that’s kind of interesting.
So I went to see them. I said, “Why do you want to do this?”
They said, “Frankly, if it hadn’t been for MATHCOUNTS, we don’t feel any of
us would have gotten into Yale. We couldn’t have done as well as we did on the
SAT exams, and we want to give back.”

When you look at that set
of kids, it was quite a crew. They’re not kids that you would have picked out
anyplace. I can tell you right now, it wouldn’t have made any difference at
all if one of those kids had been blind. It wouldn’t have made any difference.
These kids would have embraced that kid just like everybody else, because everybody
else had something that might have marginalized them.

A week later I got a call
from some kids at Princeton. I said, “I understand what your thing is; you’ve
got friends at Yale.”

They said, “Yes, we have
friends at Yale.”

So we go up and meet the
kids there. We’ll do the same thing at Penn, and Johns Hopkins, and Columbia,
and Brown, and Harvard. We’re talking with them all right now.

For years we served the
kids that I’ll call diamonds. It was a matter of finding the diamonds, which
were easiest to find in the white suburbs around rich cities. You didn’t have
to find them, because their mothers would bring them forward and say, look at
how brilliant my kid is. [But] in the world now of national security issues,
we can’t overlook anybody. My board of directors has said to me, “You have to
go find ways to find the kids that are harder to find.”

Let me tell you a little
story. We just put a person on our board of directors, a Dr. Dwight Williams.
Dr. Williams is the chief nuclear scientist for the Pentagon. Dr. Williams is
a black man from southeast Washington. I said, “Tell me about yourself.”

He said, “Here’s the story.
I’m from Southeast Washington. My mom was a schoolteacher in the D.C. school
system. My mom realized two things: one, that the D.C. school system was a crappy
school district, and two, that she had a smart kid. So she moved me to Fairfax,
Virginia, arguably the best school system in the country. I ended up getting
my Ph.D., and now I am a professional engineer.”

He said, “Look, I’m smart,
but I’m not unique. There are thousands of kids in D.C. who will never be discovered.
They’ll be overlooked. They’re smart; they just have to be found. How do we
do it?”

I said, “You tell me, because
if you can tell me how to find these kids, we’ll work with them.”
The story is pretty much the same with blind kids. They’re smart. We have not
to this point known how to find them. Through this organization we hope we can
do that. So, when we got to talk with Barbara, we said, “We need to find a way
to discover these kids, and we need to find a way to get them involved in MATHCOUNTS.”

On the one hand we don’t
want to dilute the rigor of the mathematics program. On the other hand there
has to be some sort of reasonable accommodation. I don’t know what that is.
I know that it would be relatively easy to run a MATHCOUNTS program with all
blind kids. I’m not so sure we know how to do it with blind and sighted kids
for the same reason that I know how to do it with all English-speaking kids,
[but] I’m not so sure how I would do it with half English-speaking and half
who speak Lithuanian, because I would be speaking different languages. So we’re
dealing with different languages, and we are just going to have to learn how
to do that.

So one of the things we
are going to do while we are here is, tomorrow, we’re going to do a little MATHCOUNTS
competition. By definition we will say that it is going to be a failure because
we are going to mess up along the way because we really don’t know what we’re
doing on this translation. On the other hand, we’re going to learn a heck of
a lot, and on that part it is going to be successful. So I ask you to bear with
us as we kind of fumble around, not knowing what we’re doing, but we will do
our best.

I guess my message today
is that the digital world has leveled the playing field. As has been said before,
Braille is very, very important, so your kids have to learn Braille. They have
to learn the mathematics version of Braille. Once they have those tools in place,
they can operate with the best of them. I’m talking doctors, lawyers, engineers,
on and on and on because mathematics is logic. It’s not numbers necessarily;
it’s logic. And when we think of mathematics that way, it doesn’t matter if
you’re blind, if you’re deaf, if you’re sighted; you just have to have some
logic. As Lindsey was talking today, with the way she spoke, there’s no way
that I would know that she’s blind. I talk with smart kids all day long, and
Lindsey is smart. She happens to be blind, but she will be absorbed in the college
curriculum just like everybody else with the whole math crew, because these
are people who think.

Today I have tried to explain
what we do, how we do it, how we’re changing, and hopefully bring to you a new
perspective on the way blind people will be operating in a digital world. Thank
you very much.

The final speech is
from longtime Federationist, Denise Mackenstadt, of Washington
State. Mackenstadt is a blindness educator with expertise, experience, and certification
in Braille transcription and orientation and mobility. Here is what she had
to say:

Well I have to say it:
I am a math-a-phobic, big time. However, I have served as a Braille transcriber
and a para-educator for students from grades two through eleven, and I think
that means that I can safely say that I’ve passed tenth grade math; so I’m in
good shape.

Math is really an international
language. For example, did you know that the Japanese use Arabic numerals? Math
is a language that scientists and engineers from all over the world use to communicate
with each other. We don’t want to deny this to our [blind] kids. There is a
myth that math is too visual for blind kids to learn. Not true. It is all in
the presentation of the material. Obviously a blind student is not going to
learn math visually (that’s a given), so we teach math nonvisually.

Be careful about the needs
of your low-vision students too. Most of the time learning media assessments
(which is the term for the assessment which helps teachers decide whether the
student is going to read print or Braille) are given using text, but no math
symbols or math diagrams. How a student sees these things (the numeral and math
diagrams), with whatever the visual impairment is, can be different from how
the student sees words. So, if a learning media assessment is being done on
your child, make sure that whoever is doing the assessment understands that
you want it to include math symbols as well. Because, again, the student may
be able to read text well but may confuse numbers. Keep that in mind.

Most importantly, the professionals
working with the student need to have prerequisite skills; and I say this for
both the teacher of the blind and whatever Braille transcriber or para-educator
is working with the student. These professionals have to be Braille competent,
and I don’t mean that they took a class in Braille. I mean, are they competent
in reading and writing Braille? [And that includes Nemeth, the special Braille
code for mathematic numbers and symbols.] Nemeth should be taught to students
from kindergarten on. A lot of discussion has occurred on a listserv to which
I belong about when a teacher should teach Nemeth. [My answer:] Nemeth symbols
should be started from day one, as soon as the blind student gets his/her first
math assignment. You teach Nemeth when you teach everything else.

The [Braille] transcriber
in particular should be very confident in putting together tactile graphics.
There are certain kinds of criteria (you can find them on the Internet) for
good tactile graphics. Many transcribers and teachers will do a tactile graphic
that looks terrific visually, but it makes no sense tactilely. I never used
a tactile graphic with a student until I was certain that the student could
actually read what I was doing. Your blind student really needs to be involved
in the tactile graphics. As a transcriber you need to learn what works for a
student and what doesn’t work for a student.

[Next, you need to know
about equipment that produces tactile graphics.] There are a couple of different
products. You need to learn what a Puffer is; that is, a machine that puffs
paper. You need to learn what a Tiger Embosser is. Most school districts can’t
afford a Tiger, but you need to know what it is and what it can do. And you
need to know how to do graphics by hand--the quick and dirty way. Please excuse
me, but school transcribers are not going to do the NLS-required transcription
process, because we don’t usually have time to edit what we do. And because
we don’t, we actually have to be more knowledgeable. Very often we will get
a test--with graphics--maybe twenty-four hours before the exam is going to be
given, and we may be just a four-hour employee. So, we need to be able to transcribe
and do graphics quickly, confidently, and in a way that the student can really
read them.

We need to be familiar
with certain kinds of software that are particular to producing Braille math.
One of these is Scientific Notebook. This is off-the-shelf software that is
compatible with Duxbury. It produces pretty good Nemeth code. It actually produces
better Braille math than the Duxbury math does; for example, Duxbury math is
very hard to use with mixed fractions, like one and three-quarters. Also you
have to put in certain symbols by hand using a six-key keyboard. So you need
to know what these are. However, you can’t buy Scientific Notebook and expect
someone who does not know Braille to produce Nemeth Braille with it immediately.
You can’t do it that way. No math software is perfect and produces reasonable
Nemeth Braille. The software just makes it easier.

Some old-line transcribers
think it is absolute heresy to do math on the computer. But I’ll tell you it’s
nice when you have to come up with pages and pages of stuff. Besides, we all
have kids, and we all know that kids lose things or drip milk on the one copy
of the math homework you have just Brailed for them on the Braillewriter. That’s
why the computer is really cool; you can save the files and make new copies
fast.

Mostly you can’t do that
with tactile graphics. However, there is an old-fashioned machine called a Thermoform
machine. Every district ought to have at least one. They are still manufactured,
and they are still useful. With a Thermoform machine you can make multiple copies
on special plastic paper. Basically, the machine melts the plastic paper around
your hard copy of whatever tactile graphic you have made by hand. Most Braille
exams and textbooks that need multiple copies of graphics use thermoform.

Teachers of blind students
need to have the proper materials on hand and readily available to the student
in the classroom. As Lindsey was saying, the tools are necessary. What are the
tools? Manipulatives. Get to know your kindergarten, first, and second grade
teachers. The same manipulatives that are used in lower grades are really important
for blind high schoolers. I know, they don’t like to use them from sixth grade
on; they think they don’t need them. Well, I have news for you. If we continued
to use manipulatives with all kids, they would all be a lot better off. Other
tools: tactile measuring devices, Wikki Stiks (bendable, sticky waxed strips
of cord), and stickpins on corkboards. The student can use a number of tools
in the classroom to do quick-and-dirty tactile illustrations. They may require
that the student explain to the teacher what he or she is doing, but again,
part of math curriculum in schools today is demonstrating what you know. That’s
the name of the game: you have to demonstrate it.

Second, math as taught
today is not computation. When we were kids, we all had sheets and sheets of
computations. Today math is really higher thinking. It doesn’t mean it’s harder;
it means that the students are using a different part of the brain. It is just
as important to talk about the process as it is to get the answer. And the process
is probably multi-stepped. The thing is, I have known vision teachers who let
children be opted out of a school’s math curriculum because they said it was
too visual. That’s a myth; math is not too visual. Don’t let it happen to your
child. Opting out puts those students at a real disadvantage as they go through
the school system. The student needs to be assertive in the classroom, needs
to communicate with the classroom teacher. The transcriber and blindness teacher
need to communicate with the classroom teacher.

What about using another
student as a note-taker in the classroom? As Lindsey was saying, using overheads
and board work is really an integral part of what math teachers do. That’s how
they’re taught to teach. Only a remarkable teacher can articulate everything
put on the board. A human note-taker is helpful, sometimes essential. You need
to take it case by case, class by class. The note-taker may be the blindness
teacher, a para-educator, or another student, depending upon the circumstances.

If you can get what the
teacher is going to put on the board ahead of time so that the student can peruse
it while it’s being used, that’s great, but the vast majority of the time you’re
not going to have that opportunity. My daily schedule as a para-educator went
something like this. I would get to the high school by 7:30 a.m. Classes started
at 8:10 a.m. I would go to each classroom to find out what the teacher was teaching
that day. Nine times out of ten the teachers had just figured it out that morning.
They’re looking at me and thinking, “She wants something.” So you would have
to figure out how to talk to the teacher with respect. The teacher’s classroom
is her or his domain, a personal kingdom. As a para-educator I need to respect
this and let the teacher know I am not looking over her or his shoulder. It’s
the same with the elementary school teacher. These teachers have planning books.
Very cool, but those books are private. You really have to work with a teacher
to allow you to observe those planning books but not disturb the teacher before
classes start so that you have some idea what volume of the math book the class
is going to be using.

The vast majority of math
teachers do not use math books cover-to-cover. Most math materials today are
disposable; most are not even in a book. You are at a real disadvantage if you’re
thinking that all you have to do is come up with a page in a book, and it’s
going to be sequential. Well, it doesn’t work that way.

In Washington State, as
in many states, we have a high-stakes test. We call it the WASL (Washington
Assessment of Student Learning), and currently students have to take and pass
the tenth-grade WASL in order to get a high-school diploma. This is very high
stakes. It has been said that blind kids cannot pass the math WASL. Yes and
no. As written, yes, it’s difficult to pass; but do not allow your blind child
to opt out of these high-stakes tests because that could change how they’re
admitted into college. Don’t let your state tell you that blind kids don’t have
to take high-stakes tests. That’s not good enough.

In conclusion, I would
say math is for all of us--blind kids, too. I’ve heard about the MATHCOUNTS
competition, and I am excited to see them represented here. I think MATHCOUNTS
is used in the Northshore School District in Washington State a lot.

I would say that, for blind
kids to do math, you need the right materials, the right skills, and the right
media. And don’t ever let others sell your kids short because math can be--and
is--successfully taught to blind kids. I know Lindsay’s teacher of the blind.
She’s wonderful. Unfortunately she has retired, but I talked to her before this
seminar, and she gave me wonderful tips.

Last, it’s all about attitude,
attitude, attitude. You need to be positive. You need to believe in blind people
and talk to blind people about how math is done. Many wonderful blind engineers
and mathematicians are here at this convention. Also there are some great blind
teachers who teach math--from kindergarten through high school. Talk to them.
Go for it; enjoy it. Even I made it through tenth grade math!

The
Blind in the STEM Professions: Four Profiles

Editor’s Note:
The source for the following information is the Web portal for the National
Center for Blind Youth in Science, a program of the NFB Jernigan Institute.
For more great information about how to include blind youth in math and science,
see http://www.blindscience.org/ncbys, or contact Mark Riccobono, Director of
Education, Jernigan Institute, at mriccobono@nfb.org or (410) 659-9314.

There was a time when it
was unthinkable to have a blind person working in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics--the STEM fields--but that time is gone. Long gone.
The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute has done much in recent
years to incite STEM curiosity in young minds, and it is the blind professionals
in these fields who stand as solid reminders that blindness is only another
characteristic. The four men and women featured here have traversed the barriers
once set up against the blind in STEM fields.

SCIENCE

Dr. Geerat Vermeij earned his PhD in malacology from Yale University. He has
been blind since age three, but that has not stopped him from earning a position
as professor of marine ecology and paleoecology (a word most people don’t even
know the meaning of!) at the University of California, Davis Campus. The world
has been his classroom with studies in Guam, the Philippines, the Galapagos
and Aleutian Islands, Hawaii, and Canada; Dr. Vermeij has a unique understanding
of his field that has students eagerly awaiting his every lesson.

TECHNOLOGY

Women are hard to come by in the STEM fields, making Ms. Ameenah Lippold’s accomplishments
all the more praiseworthy. She is not quite thirty years old and has earned
a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois, made waves in the
adaptive technology field, and organized the Goals for Achieving Math Accessibility
(GAMA) Summit. Now, she works for the Defense Information Systems Agency where
she continues promoting accessibility through enterprise architecture. Ms. Lippold
was diagnosed with blindness at six years of age.

ENGINEERING

Children love to use their hands whether they are touching, exploring, or building,
and so does Nathanael Wales. Mr. Wales, now a civil engineer for the Department
of Water Resources, Sacramento, has always loved building things. He was born
blind and spent his childhood constructing and plotting his next move to be
a great engineer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from
the University of California, Davis, and is a solid reminder that childhood
dreams can come true with strong values and hard work.

MATHEMATICS

You don’t have to be a genius to know when brilliance is nearby. Tackling multiple
STEM fields, Dr. Robert Shelton, not only earned his PhD in mathematics from
Rice University, he also completed his postdoctoral work at Princeton. He divides
his time between teaching college and working as both a mathematician and computer
scientist. Dr. Shelton’s work led him to aid in the development of MathTrax
and the Math Description Engine (MDE) algorithm that helped the National Federation
of the Blind’s Rocket On! Science Academy students launch their first NASA rocket
in 2004. Shelton became blind at age eleven after a failed surgery for congenital
glaucoma.

Making
a Difference: 2006 NFB Science Academy Best Yet!

by Mary Jo Thorpe

When you work in summer programs for blind youth, you sometimes
find yourself wondering if all the blood, sweat, tears, and long hours with
little sleep are really worth it. Does what we do really make a difference to
those students we serve with our programs? Do they go home with more than just
cute souvenirs, new pen pals, and sunburns? I was staring at my computer screen,
trying to think of a new angle for an article about the Science Academy, and
considering these very questions when my phone rang. After one long conversation,
the phone rang again. Ironically, before I could even begin writing, I received
calls from mothers of two of the students who attended the program this summer.
They did not call to report a missing cell phone charger or a backpack that
got left behind. Instead, each mom called to thank me for the opportunity the
NFB gave her child to come and participate in such an extraordinary program.
The moms described how their children could not stop talking about the cool
things they got to see and do. One mom told me that her son had never before
shown the slightest interest in electronics. However, at the Academy he had
the chance to work on the circuits team to build a rocket payload and since
then he has developed a passion for the subject. The other mom told me how her
daughter rambles on-and-on about the neat tactile star charts and the awesome
planetarium show she attended. One mother’s voice caught as she expressed the
great joy she feels as she witnesses this new burst of confidence and enthusiasm
in her child--all because of his participation in the Academy. After those calls,
there was no more staring at the computer screen; I was ready to write.

This summer was our third, and possibly our best, Science Academy
yet. The challenge in 2006 was to make things bigger, better, and more exciting
than in the years before. Easier said than done, of course. But with the help
of our great education staff at the Jernigan Institute, fabulous instructors
from NASA and the community, and dynamic facilitators from our NFB membership,
we pulled it off.

The first Academy session this year began on July 14, with the
Rocket On! group of twelve high school students from nine different states.
This year’s team definitely proved themselves to be the most energetic and enthusiastic
team in the academy yet. Even at the closing ceremonies, after many late nights,
one eighteen-hour day, and a 2:00 a.m. wake-up call, they were still as enthusiastic
and energetic as they were on the first day. Right from the beginning these
students proved they were natural cheerleaders as they participated in the challenge
activities at a local ropes course. The students were able to literally “hang
out” as they participated in activities such as walking along a telephone pole
forty feet off the ground. These activities were used to foster teamwork and
confidence--necessary elements to the overall success of the Academy. This was
a new idea that we implemented into this year’s schedule, and it proved to be
quite a hit--except for the fact that we all wished we could have spent more
time at the course.

During the opening ceremony, the 2006 students were issued their
mission--which they chose to accept--to prove that the third time really is
a charm. They were challenged to build and launch a rocket that would beat the
altitude of the first two rockets and that would deploy all three parachutes.
Lastly, they were challenged to successfully recover the rocket in one piece--all
feats that eluded the 2004 and 2005 Academies. The 2006 team met the challenge.
The flight was perfect: the altitude achieved was the highest yet at over 5,900
feet, all three parachutes deployed on time, and the rocket was retrieved intact.

But the mission would not have been the success it was without
the incredible teamwork of the Nose Blowers, the WASA, and the Logyx. You see,
each academy is divided into three teams: the trajectory team, the circuit team,
and the recovery team. Each team has specific assignments--just the way real
NASA scientists work. To help build a spirit of trust and enthusiasm, the teams
are asked to come up with a team name and compose a team slogan.

Here’s what Jennifer Suchan, a high school freshman from Maryland,
said about her circuit team: “My team was named WASA, a play on NASA that stands
for the Whozit Aeronautics and Space Administration. For those who don’t know,
Whozit is the NFB’s mascot (logo). Our slogan was: We are WASA, / An association
with NASA./ We’ll get your ship wired / Before we even get tired. / WASA, the
Whozit Aeronautics and Space Administration (cheer).” The other WASA team members
were Jordan Richardson, ninth grade, Minnesota; Tashia Schmelling, ninth grade,
Virginia; and Trevor Saunders, tenth grade, New Jersey.

At the press conference (yes, we held a real press conference--just
like NASA), Adam Puckett, a sophomore from Virginia, introduced and described
the mission of his team: “When you hear the name Nose Blowers, probably the
last thing to come into your mind is a rocket recovery team, but guess what?
That’s exactly what we are. Our team members include Brittany Savage [ninth
grade, Virginia], James Baker [ninth grade, New York], and Mary Fernandez [tenth
grade, New Jersey]. Our instructors are Charlie Lipsett and Anna Muaswes. Our
mission was to make sure that the nose cone deployed in order to release the
parachute, so that the rocket would be recovered intact.”

Nose Blower team member, Jim Baker, concluded his team’s report
at the press conference: “The recovery team successfully accomplished its part
of the mission. We were successful because of our thorough testing, hard work,
and dedication. The nose cone deployed and the parachutes released on time.
Thus, we accomplished what we promised in our slogan: We’ll blow your nose off
with CO2/ The parachute will pop out and come back to you!”

The Logyx trajectory team did not come up with a slogan, but
they made up for this omission with their acute “logical” abilities and outstanding
performance in accurately predicting the trajectory of the rocket. Mission director,
Mika Baugh, a sophomore from Indiana, led the team composed of Billy Casson,
eleventh grade, New Mexico; Carrie Modesitt, twelfth grade, Missouri; and Duncan
McLaurin, eighth grade, Wyoming.

It was hard to say good-bye to such an enthusiastic group of
students, but there was no time to be sad. They had barely been gone a week
before we welcomed a brand-new group of middle school students for our second
Science Academy session, Circle of Life. You can imagine the high our education
department was on after the Rocket On! session, so of course we hit the ground
running with high expectations for another successful week. This group’s recipe
for success included ten bright, fun-loving students from eight states, several
dozen blue crabs, a pair of chest-waders, and as many stars as you can get your
hands on! The 2006 class included Karen Arcos, seventh grade, California; Ellen
Bartelt, seventh grade, Wisconsin; Nicholas Cocchiarella, eighth grade, Minnesota;
Elizabeth Conlin, sixth grade, Virginia; Edgar Gonzalez, seventh grade, Utah;
Robert Hooper, ninth grade, Ohio; Minh Tam Ha, sixth grade, Massachusetts; Cody
McFarland, eighth grade, Ohio; Anne Naber, eighth grade, Minnesota; and Nola
Parker/Hubbard, eighth grade, Louisiana.

We added several new activities in our Circle of Life 2006 Science
Academy program. One of the new endeavors was a Star Party we held on the deck
off the dining room of the National Center for the Blind (our facility in Baltimore).
The students began the evening by participating in several activities with noted
astronomer and author of several tactile astronomy books, Noreen Grice from
the Boston Planetarium. We also had special guests from the West Minster Amateur
Astronomical Society. This Baltimore-based organization allows groups like ours
to use their telescopic equipment for star-gazing while the members, all of
whom are amateur astronomers, give presentations on a wide range of space-related
topics. We arranged for the pictures taken by the telescopes to be converted
into tactile images through the use of special thermoform paper and a Swell-Form
machine. Unfortunately, the weather was not as cooperative as we would have
liked, but the students were still able to see a few images. In addition, they
spent the rest of the evening tactually examining the telescopes, using balloons
to learn about supernovas, and discussing the volume of space using nylon-covered
buckets with marbles that represented our galaxy. Sound intriguing? The following
day the students visited the Maryland Science Center and attended a show at
the planetarium lead by Noreen Grice. We had prepared tactile star charts and
planet spheres in advance so that they had hands-on materials that allowed them
to follow along with her presentation. The students also enjoyed visiting several
of the other exhibits at the museum.

This year’s class definitely proved they were real troopers
as they endured field trips and activities on three of the hottest days on record
here in Baltimore, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees, and a heat index
of 110-112 degrees. A trip on the Snow Goose around the Patapsco Bay with water-bottle
toasts every twenty minutes and a dip in the river in chest-waders made the
situation a little more bearable.

Thanks to great instructors from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), the students were
able to get up-close-and-personal with a variety of marine life such as fish,
oysters, and crabs. Through these hands-on activities, they learned about the
ecology of these environments and the impact they have on our own lives. One
of the students particularly enjoyed this program because it was the first time
he had ever personally touched and explored so many creatures and objects from
the natural world. Practically his only experience with the natural world had
been from books and verbal descriptions. It was exciting to see him right up
next to the guides, wanting to be the first to stick his hands in for a look
at the latest collection from the seining nets or oyster dredge. Prior to coming
to the Circle of Life, this particular student had attended a very popular,
summer camp, noted for its level of fun and excitement. He repeatedly told the
facilitators that he thought nothing could ever top that week, but that the
Circle of Life had done it! He said that he wished he could rewind the week
or wake up to find out that it hadn’t started yet so that he could start it
all over again.

I am sure I speak for each of the students when I say that it
is hard to choose just one thing that was the best part about the week. Whether
it was the hike around the SERC reserve with ecologist Charlie Davis, building
windmills with students from Johns Hopkins, answering pop culture trivia questions
with local NFB chapter members, eating crabs and dancing all evening with members
from the NFB of Maryland at the annual Crab Feast, or the ever popular shark
dissection; there was something for everyone this year. To capture all the highlights
and stories from the week, the students made a CD complete with inside jokes,
funny phrases from the week, favorite memories, and even the occasional spoof
on some of the facilitators. Some sang songs or acted out short skits while
others chose to speak off-the-cuff. However, no one captured the week quite
as succinctly as Karen Archo, a seventh grader from California. The printed
copy of her song does not do justice to her recorded version, but it does convey
some sense of the dynamic, life-changing nature of this week. Here are the words
to Karen’s song:

The Science Academy’s lots of fun, / a lot of fun. / You learn
great things: / touching dinosaurs at the Science Center, / learning about the
Solar System, too. / Hiking and fishing and handling crabs, / dissecting sharks,
/ learning with soil, / none of these things made me get any scabs. / Riding
and driving the Snow Goose on the bay, / this took place on Wednesday. / Talking
to blind adults taught me a lot / about what to expect in the years ahead. /
Hopefully, I’ll learn as much in the last few days, / just like the ones that
have already passed. / The NFB is the place to be /when you want something to
do and see. / Come to the NFB, / come to the NFB / where there is always something
to do and see. / Come to the NFB!

To the students it may seem like the overall goal of our Science
Academy is merely to have fun and do cool stuff. But there is so much more to
it. In the NFB, we have high expectations of blind people and, over and over,
through a thousand different subtle ways, we conveyed that message to the students.
We showed them nonvisual techniques and tools for achieving tasks they never
thought possible. We modeled for them how independent blind people behave and
function in the world. We gently, but firmly, insisted that they use their canes
at all times--no sighted guide! They bussed their own tables, fixed their own
baked potatoes, helped set-up and breakdown tables for the cookout, and much
more. Most importantly, we introduced them to blind individuals and fostered
mentoring relationships. And in thousands of subtle ways, the students let us
know that we made an impression: the comments about how “cool” it was that all
the facilitators were blind and the pride in the voice as a student described
how she could dissect a shark under blindfolds.

So, anyone who asks me about my summer had better be prepared
for a dissertation. The twenty-two students in the 2006 class were some of the
brightest, most talented students I have ever met, and I am proud to have been
their teacher, mentor, and friend for the summer. But the relationship does
not stop there. In the NFB, we strive to extend our network of mentorship and
support to each other beyond the confines of one-time events. The Rocket On!
students have been added to a special listserv where they can continue learning
from their blind mentors and peers, as well as make new friends of the blind
students from the 2004 and 2005 Academies. The Circle of Life students will
routinely receive mailings and priority invitations about other NFB youth events.
All of the students will be connected with blind leaders in their communities
and states, and, as a consequence, many will be invited to speak at NFB state
conventions or be given other opportunities to develop their leadership abilities.
And in the years to come, I have no doubt that many of these students will come
back to Baltimore to be instructors, mentors, and friends to the next generation
of blind youth. Yes, what we do in the National Federation of the Blind does
make a difference!

Where will your teen be
on July 30, 2007?
How about Baltimore, Maryland, at the biggest and best event for blind youth
EVER?!
Announcing the National Federation of the Blind

Youth SlamA 2007 STEM Leadership Academy

Applications are now available; don’t miss out!
Find the latest information on the
2007 NFB Youth Slam by visiting www.blindscience.org

What: The largest gathering of blind youth
ever! This four-day academy will engage and inspire the next generation of blind
youth to consider careers they never dreamed possible for blind people to enter.
Youth will stay in dormitories at the Johns Hopkins University under the supervision
and mentorship of a cadre of well-trained blind youth counselors. These role
models and mentors will work in partnership with such STEM agencies and institutions
as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Johns Hopkins
University Whiting School of Engineering to engage the youth in exciting, challenging,
and inspiring activities meant to stretch the imagination, build confidence,
and increase science literacy.

The NFB Youth Slam will culminate in an inspiring rally at Baltimore’s
Inner Harbor and a celebration at the center of innovation in the field of blindness--the
NFB Jernigan Institute.

When: July 30-August 4, 2007. This includes
two travel days.

Where: Baltimore, Maryland

Why: The NFB Youth Slam will shatter some of
the most significant barriers and misconceptions currently limiting blind youth.
First, the Slam will break the relative isolation of blind youth; it will show
blind youth that it is respectable to be blind. Second, it will expose blind
youth to STEM fields in a way that powerfully demonstrates that these fields,
and other challenging fields, are open to them. Third, the Slam will create
a greater understanding among parents, teachers, and the general public that
blind people can learn and excel in STEM subjects and careers.

Who: Two hundred blind or low vision youth
who will be entering high school in the fall of 2007, who are currently in high
school, or who graduate from high school in the spring of 2007.

Youth need not have a strong interest in science-related careers
to fully participate, enjoy, and benefit from this unique experience.

How: Eligible students need to complete an
application by March 1, 2007. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served
basis, so early applications are strongly encouraged. Applicants who are accepted
to the NFB Youth Slam will be expected to pay a $200.00 registration fee to
complete the application process. The registration fee is NOT required at the
time of application to the Slam. The registration fee ensures the student will
receive air and ground transportation, room and board, and access to all Slam
activities and materials (valued at $3,000.00). Any other incidental costs,
such as souvenirs, will need to be covered by the student. Local NFB chapters
will be available to assist students in raising the registration fee if needed.

MENTORS NEEDED! Applications are also available
for those interested in being mentors during this historic program. Mentors
who pass the first phase of the screening process will be subject to a background
check prior to being selected. Mentors selected to serve as role models for
this important event will have all of their travel, room, and board expenses
covered.

Applications are now available; don’t miss out! Find the latest
information on the 2007 NFB Youth Slam by visiting www.blindscience.org

Teaching Exploration: Correcting aGlaring Flaw in the Education of Blind
Children

by Geerat J. Vermeij

Reprinted from the October 2004 issue of the Braille
Monitor, the monthly publication of the National Federation of the Blind.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Geerat Vermeij is a distinguished
professor in the Department of Geology at the University of California at Davis.
In the summer of 2004 he generously contributed his time and expertise to take
part in our first Circle of Life Science Academy for blind middle school students.
His insightful article below is, in my opinion, a must-read for all parents
and teachers of blind and visually impaired children. In it, he admits that
even he--despite his broad experience with, and deep immersion in, scientific
thinking--had made the error of assuming that children learned to use their
hands and sense of touch “naturally.” Not so! Here is Dr. Vermeij as he discusses
the urgent need to correct this myth:

A few years ago I was sitting in David Hillis’s office at the
University of Texas at Austin. Hillis, a preeminent evolutionary biologist and
MacArthur Fellow, was telling me about his research on a small Asian clam that
was accidentally introduced by people to North America during the late 1930’s.
Today this quite ordinary-looking little clam is found in lakes and streams
throughout the United States. Researchers once thought that all the Asian clams
in North America belonged to a single kind or species; but when Hillis began
to analyze the DNA sequences of the clams, he discerned two genetically distinct
species.

Hillis leaned forward in his chair. “I wonder if you can tell
the difference between these species from the shells,” he said.

“Let’s have a look,” I said, always ready for a challenge. Hillis
handed me six specimens, each a little less than an inch long. There were, of
course, no labels; it was up to me to decide how to divide these six shells
into categories.

I set about my task. First came a quick reconnaissance: I took
each shell in my hands, manipulated it with my fingers, and put it down, all
in less than a second. Much previous experience with Asian clams and with thousands
of other clams allowed me to conclude that, yes, these shells belong to the
genus Corbicula: ovate shape, coarse and somewhat irregular growth
lines, right hinge characteristics, somewhat eroded beak without well-developed
lunule or escutcheon. But all these shells sure looked alike, so a more thorough
examination was called for.

The pads of my index fingers traced the outlines of the shells,
probed the growth lines for their sharpness and spacing, noted how deeply cupped
the valves were, and gathered a dozen other details. With my nails I observed
the precise shape of the growth lines--were the lines sharp or flattened, reflected
or erect, widely separated or close together, and so on. I repeated these observations,
all quite unconsciously, with each shell. I picked up the valves again and again,
comparing, contrasting, forming hypotheses in my mind, and putting them to the
test with additional observations. I had to decide which features were meaningless
variations and which might denote characteristics that distinguish one species
from another. I had done this exercise hundreds of times previously, for careful
observation of form, life habits, and other aspects of shell-bearing animals
lay at the empirical core of my scientific work.

After a minute or two of this directed exploration, I had divided
the shells into two groups of three each. The differences were awfully subtle,
but I thought they might indeed indicate two distinct species.

I announced my conclusions. My colleague was impressed. “Right
on the money,” he declared. The distinction I had perceived through careful
tactile observation of the shells precisely matched the distinction Hillis had
discerned from the DNA that he had extracted previously from the tissues of
the clams whose shells he had given me to examine.

I tell this story, not to pat myself on the back, but to make
an important point about exploring objects by touch. Quite simply, many blind
people could extract far more information from the objects they touch if they
developed and perfected techniques and skills for the most effective use of
the hand--that exquisite and sensitive organ of touch that we humans have inherited
and evolutionarily modified from our primate ancestors.

I was confronted with this larger issue when I was privileged
to take part in the National Federation of the Blind’s summer science adademy
for a dozen blind middle-school students. Mark Riccobono of the NFB and school
teacher Robin House had invited me to talk about how to do science, how to think
in a scientific frame of mind, and how blind people can be scientists. I would
not just tell them about my research on shells but would have everyone examine
shells so that we could then talk about how to ask scientific questions of these
wonderful objects. I would also tell them about the larger scientific questions
I have tried to tackle in my own career, questions about how evolution works,
about evolution as fundamentally an economic process, and about the role that
enemies play in the many directions evolution has taken over the course of the
history of life.

We gathered at the Naturalist Center, a first-rate educational
museum just outside Leesburg, Virginia. Thousands of specimens from the Smithsonian
Institution are available for visitors to handle in a spacious setting where
curiosity and free inquiry are the order of the day. I had arrived early to
pull out some shells to demonstrate to the students and their enthusiastic adult
entourage. Once everyone was settled and I had made some preliminary remarks
about myself, about the etiquette of handling specimens, and about science and
the blind, each participant was given a shell to examine.

As always happens when I am working with a collection, I was
terribly pumped up to see such wonderful objects, even if they were all quite
familiar to me. I never tire of looking at shells because I always expect to
observe something new. On this occasion I was certainly not disappointed. Picking
up a large Triton’s trumpet (Charonia tritonis), I happened to notice
some small tubercles near the front end of the shell that formed a continuation
of a row of sharp teeth along the shell’s outer lip. I have frequently handled
specimens of this striking species, but somehow this interesting feature had
escaped my notice.

But this exercise wasn’t for me; it was for the children. I
invited everyone to offer a description of the unfamiliar object in his or her
hand. What could each person tell me about what he or she had observed?

It became clear that most of the students had spent at most
a few seconds of unsystematic exploration and then put the shell down. The verbal
descriptions offered were so rudimentary that I felt unable to proceed to the
level of thinking about these objects in a scientific way. The point of departure
for honing the scientific state of mind is to observe carefully and to be puzzled
by the observations that make no sense. If we can articulate what does not make
sense, we are well on the road to translating the puzzle in the form of a scientific
question. Once we have reached this point, we can proceed to the more standard
scientific stages of proposing a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis against
alternative explanations, and placing all our findings together with those of
others in a coherent theory that will explain, not just the things we know,
but many things we don’t know yet. I came away from this encounter with the
strong conviction that society--parents, teachers, the blind, and all the rest
of us--have largely and dismally failed to teach the skills of exploration.

Our hands are powerful sensory tools, capable of discerning
fine details, integrating those details into a whole representation, and making
sense of the things we touch; but if we don’t know how to use our hands in this
way, our ability to extract information from the objects we touch is severely
compromised. Tactile exploration has been part of my life for so long that I
had in many ways taken it for granted. Insofar as I had thought about the matter
at all, I held that learning about objects with the fingers came naturally,
whatever that might mean. But I have come to believe this is wrong. Tactile
exploration is a skill that must be taught and honed.

How does one do this? Although I have no experience teaching
blind people, I have thought about how the hand works as a sense organ. The
broad outline of the technique I describe briefly below comes from an idealized
dissection of how I use my hands, fingers, and associated tools to gain a coherent
concept of the things I touch.

Let’s think about those Asian clams again. I began with a cursory examination.
The hand as a whole--or, if the object is small, the tips of several fingers--scans
the object for general shape, weight, and texture. This gives us a general idea
of an object, a tactile image we can then use to place the finer details we
are about to uncover. The nearly random touching of the first stage is replaced
by a much more systematic exploration, mainly using the tips of the index fingers.
I may trace the object’s contours, noting every detail--angles, roundness, texture,
protrusions, openings, and any other peculiarity.

My fingers trace specific paths, informed by the object’s overall
form and by my hypothesis of the object’s orientation. With completely unfamiliar
objects, it is helpful to be oriented: where is the front, the back, the left,
and the right? If I have handled more or less similar objects before, this orientation,
achieved almost instantaneously during the first phase of exploration, comes
quite naturally. The pads of the fingers are sensitive but are rather large.
If we want still finer details, we need finer instruments. I use the ends of
the nails, especially those of the thumb and index finger, to characterize and
count small features. If I need to examine the features inside openings too
small or narrow to insert a finger, I employ a stiff pin or needle. Vibrations
from the pin as I slowly pass the shaft of the pin along the surface of interest
will tell me the number, location, size, and shape of the ribs, bumps, and other
protrusions I encounter.

The entire examination may last anywhere from a few seconds
to a few minutes, but by the time I am finished, I have a detailed, coherent,
and I hope accurate representation of the object in my mind’s fingers. Further
examination would surely yield still more information, as I illustrated above
with the Triton’s trumpet, but completeness characterizes all scientific efforts.
The key features of this process of tactile exploration are, I believe, accurate
initial orientation and systematic (as opposed to random) touching and tracing.
As exploration proceeds, we go from the large scale--overall shape, size, and
weight; temperature; thickness; and the like--to a finer scale.

This recipe applies equally to tactile illustrations. We must
begin by acquiring an overall sense of shape and size, which we do by using
the whole hand and as many fingers as the illustration will accommodate. Once
this stage is completed, we can begin to trace individual features, note the
position of particular items, and observe how features are arranged relative
to each other and to the whole.

Years ago, in a letter to the scientific journal Nature,
a Canadian research group reported a study of the way blind subjects should
read maps. The authors had their blind subjects first trace outlines. According
to their data, it took thirty seconds or longer for the average blind subject
to trace a given outline. In a comment published later that year in Nature,
I pointed out that it would be very difficult to gain an accurate representation
of the map if it took half a minute or more to complete the initial exploration.
Integration, the key to gaining a representation of illustrations and objects
observed by touch, is hard to achieve over time intervals as long as this. No
sighted person would ever read a map by first following a country’s borders
by eye; he or she would quickly scan the map, acquire a general orientation
and a sense for its large-scale features, and then concentrate on the details.

The principles that apply to touch apply to the other senses
as well. It takes experience and some practice to gain a full appreciation of
a piece of music or a bird’s song we have heard, a painting we have seen, or
even of the foods we taste and smell. Our senses have enormous potential to
inform us about the world and to enrich our lives; but we must learn how to
use our senses to best effect, how to observe, or to become more aware of our
surroundings. This is as true for the sighted as it is for the blind, but for
the blind there is the additional obstacle that we lack sight, one of the most
integrative of the senses, the one that permits a nearly instantaneous, large-scale,
and often distant orientation.

I no longer remember how or whether I really learned to observe,
but I do know that my parents and brother were twenty-four-hour tour guides,
describing everything and anything wherever we went. More important still, they
showed me every imaginable thing--plants, insects, mushrooms, doorways, window
frames, walls, brickwork on old Dutch buildings, rocks, models of buildings--the
list is endless. In doing so, they stimulated my already substantial curiosity.
Yet I wanted more; I hungered to become acquainted with my surroundings, to
make sense of them--in short, to understand the world in a scientific frame
of mind. I wanted to be aware, not only of the pleasures of my surroundings,
but of its dangers and pitfalls.

I could not observe everything first-hand, of course, so I began
to read. I read and read and read and read some more, and I still read voraciously.
And in order to read and to retrieve all that information, I had to have superior
Braille skills. What do superior Braille skills amount to? Rapid and accurate
Braille reading, like rapid and accurate print reading, means quick recognition
and processing of pattern, attention to detail, and engaging the mind as the
fingers or eyes briskly move line by line across the page. There is, I am convinced,
a direct connection between learning how to gather information from objects
and learning how to read quickly and accurately. This is true for everyone,
not just the sighted and not just the blind.

Nothing would help blind children more than being taught the
techniques and pleasures of exploration--touch, sound, taste, smell, and whatever
vision remains. It is hard to be curious about things if we do not know what
those things are like. It is hard to avoid dangers if we are unable to interpret
the cues our senses provide about our surroundings. It is hard to gain a sense
of aesthetics if we feel, listen, taste, or smell carelessly and casually. And
it is hard to get a job if we lack the skills to gain and process information
by effective reading and effective use and interpretation of our senses.

We must make exploration a habit, a good habit, a pleasant and
rewarding habit. We must educate parents, teachers, and the blind themselves
how to observe with the mind engaged. This is not rocket science; in fact, it
requires no technology at all other than the biological technology we have inherited
from our evolutionary ancestors. How can anything be more important?

Why
Blind Teachers? A European Study

Editor’s Note: The following is a narrative
outline of a presentation that two Norwegian teachers (one blind, one sighted)
and one psychologist gave at a European conference on the education of blind
children. I came upon it when a friend of mine forwarded to me by email a much
longer, expanded article about this study. The article was fascinating and illuminating,
but far too long to reprint. However, the following summary is just right. It
is reprinted with minor edits for clarity from the ICEVI Web site at: http://www.icevi-europe.org/cracow2000/proceedings/chapter06/06-01.doc.

The article has two themes: the importance of learning to learn
through touch, and the value of blind teachers as role models in the education
and lives of blind children. There is also a sub-theme about the biases and
prejudices against blind teachers. Some things seem to be the same, no matter
which side of the Atlantic you live on! (It so happens that I have a blind colleague
who, not long ago, was denied employment at a school for the blind on the basis
that she could not “visually observe the students.” She has gone on to other
employment, but the fact that this discrimination happened demonstrates the
degree of prejudice and low expectations that still exists among even the professionals
serving the blind.)

It is encouraging to see a study with conclusions that are consistent
with the experience of hundreds of parents who, over the past twenty-five years,
have discovered blind role models through the National Federation of the Blind.
The study also corroborates Dr. Vermeij’s observations in the lead article in
this issue, “Teaching Exploration: Correcting a Glaring Flaw in the Education
of Blind Children.” Here, now, are what the Norwegians have to say on the topic
of hands, touch, and blind teachers:

Title: “Hand over hand” A blind teacher of
the visually impaired at work with a blind child

A presentation given at the International Council for the Education
of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), European Conference, Krakow, July
9 – 13, 2000.

1. Introduction
Teachers who are blind have their limitations, of which they are frequently
reminded. People who are sighted also have limitations in their ways of sensing
and experiencing the world, and particularly when it comes to working with blind
children. Most of us [who are sighted] are little aware of these limitations,
and we are not at all used to being reminded of them.

2. Background
“Hand over hand” is a study where we have focused on what is happening in the
contact and interaction between a blind nine-year-old girl, Line, and me [Astrid],
the blind teacher.

The questions which we will concentrate on, are the following:

What is happening when a blind teacher and a blind child
use their hands together in various situations for discovery, exploration,
and learning?

Can simultaneous use of [the teacher’s hands and the child’s]
hands increase the blind child’s opportunities in her learning and development?

Or, does this way of working together limit the blind child’s
initiative, learning, and development?

3. Method
During one year, Line and Astrid had seven meetings and shared activities of
daily life. All meetings were video-taped. A selection of interactions and shared
explorations during these meetings were analyzed by the three of us together:
Astrid, a teacher of the visually impaired and blind herself; Knut, a psychologist,
and me [Karen], a teacher for the visually impaired; both of us sighted and
having years of experience within the field. Each of us contributed to the analyses
of the videos from our own viewpoint, either from the outside as sighted persons
or--as for Astrid, a blind individual--with an inside perspective on the situations.

4. The five strategies
The results of the analyses were categorized into five strategies which, in
different ways, describe what happened between Line and Astrid. These strategies
were:

Physical contact and using hands together

Critical information

The significance of verbal conversation and of the use of
auditory strategies

The significance of the adjustment of pace, time, and tranquility

Equality and identity

In the following we will concentrate on strategy number one,
and we will start by showing you a short video illustration of the strategy.

5. A video illustration: the clothespin gameMain strategy: Using hands together.Situation: Astrid and Line are sitting face-to-face on the floor, a
jacket lying between them.Theme: Finding out how to fasten clothespins on the jacket.Comments: Astrid presses the clothespin open. Line feels Astrid’s hand
on the “pressing side.” Simultaneously, Astrid helps Line feel the opening of
the clothespin while she herself is pressing on the opposite side. She feels
or “reads” or “looks” together with Line on the opening side. Line “reads” Astrid’s
pressing hand. Astrid “reads” Line’s feel-the-opening hand.

6. Three perspectives on the results

6.1. The blind teacher’s insider perspective:
When I try to describe what is happening when Line and I use our hands together,
I have a problem finding exact words. Maybe we do not have words to describe
these interactions precisely, because our language is based on a visual way
of thinking? I am still in a process where I try to find out what I do when
I use my hands together with Line, and how she registers and understands what
I am doing.

When we are using hands together to explore an object it is
important to have a simultaneous perspective on the object which we are dealing
with. We sit or stand close together with the object in front of us. In this
position we have physical contact with each other and we can “read” each other’s
body language.

When we have a good interaction, our hands are warm and soft.
I put my hands on the object with a soft touch. My hands have the shape of a
fan. Line puts her hands on top of mine. We use a soft touch to the object.
From the way Line uses her hands, from their temperature, from her way of touching
my hands, and the amount of energy in her fingers, I get a clear impression
of the quality of our interaction. When she is active, she will frequently move
her hand towards my fingertips and establish contact with the object. At that
moment, she may take over the initiative in the exploration, and I take my hands
away from the object and put them as a soft carpet on the topside of Line’s
hands.

We may compare this to a journey. When we start the exploration,
I am the guide and she is the tourist. After a while, when she feels safe and
comfortable, she frequently takes the initiative to take over my role. Now she
is the guide and I am the tourist while we explore the object. When I have my
hands as a carpet on Line’s hands, I register whether she is active, or if she
is insecure. If necessary, we return to our original roles. Sometimes Line’s
hands stop moving across the object. Then I have to be sensitive. Maybe she
needs a break, or maybe she wants me to be the guide again.

In some very few situations I felt that using hands together
could be difficult. This occurred when the objects were so small that it was
uncomfortable with many fingers working together at the same time. Sometimes
Line pushed my hands away. After a while, she would often take my hands and
put them on the object together with her own hands and say: “Look.” I think
she did this because she wanted me to share the experience with her. I have
to be sensitive when I use my hands together with a blind pupil. In my opinion,
the simultaneous use of hands can be a good way of learning if it is based on
a good relationship and a very high degree of sensitivity and respect for each
other’s needs.

6.2. The sighted teacher’s outsider perspective
Using her hands together with Astrid’s seemed natural to Line. Without any instruction,
she placed her hands on top of Astrid’s like she was reading her movements,
or maybe listening to Astrid through her hands. She also accepted Astrid’s hands
touching hers in the same way when she was the active part in the interaction
or, in other words, when her hands were “speaking” to Astrid.

This way of using hands together is well known to the deaf-blind
as a method of communication.

To me, as a sighted viewer, the four hands were dancing a ballet.
The only disharmony appeared when Astrid, on rare occasions, eagerly tried to
force Line’s hands to touch something and in that way prevented her from moving
independently.

For the visually impaired, simultaneous use of touch helps communication.
It secures the establishment of communication. It helps to maintain contact,
and to break contact when intended. When these communicative elements are not
accessible by sight, touch is needed. Deaf-blind persons will be totally dependent
on touch for communication, but visually impaired persons will profit a great
deal from it.

6.3. A psychological perspective: a sighted outsider’s
view
My starting point: self esteem; this is my favorite psychological concept. The
meaning here is: “I am good enough as I am.” It is a way of feeling OK, of basic
well being in a psychological sense.

Two of the three most important sources of self-esteem (according
to Ernest Becker) are

physical confirmation: in the sense of being touched in
(almost) every way; and

symbolic confirmation: in the sense of being “seen” or confirmed
in many different ways.

Confirmation has been called the basic “fuel” in childrens’
development.

Physical contact and common use of hands will necessarily increase
the amount of physical confirmation for a blind child.

Physical contact and using hands together will give a blind
child some of all the symbolic confirmation that she loses because so much of
this is conveyed visually. It is largely through vision and body language that
we tell our sighted children that we see them, that is, that we share some experience
with them. This we do either through vision alone, or frequently combined with
words.

Blind children are given just about all confirmation and information
through words alone. This means that they ordinarily receive less of this [confirmation
and information] than sighted children do, and what they do get is through one
sensory channel at a time.

An example: The blind child bends down
and touches her shoe. “I have new shoes today.” The adult answers from a distance:
“Yes, they are really nice.”

A similar experience for a sighted child: The
adult is standing with his back to the child, without looking at the shoe, using
the same words: “Yes, they are really nice.”

What would that feel like for a sighted child? It resembles
having to communicate with others almost entirely by telephone. This is truly
what we may call autistic.

It is unfortunately true that congenitally blind children have
a dramatically increased risk of developing autism-related problems. [Could]
perhaps one reason for this be that they frequently experience sighted adults
behaving in an autistic-like manner towards them?

Physical contact and using hands together to “look at” the shoe,
or the clothespin, may prevent the child from feeling rejected, and/or from
the feeling of being all alone in the experience with only distant words of
shared attention. [With physical contact,] the child will have a lot more possibilities
to get out of the telephone booth and communicate on more channels than only
one. She will receive far more of the physical and symbolic confirmation that
she needs to go further in activities and development, and to maintain and strengthen
her self-esteem.

7. What we have learned

Increased awareness of the strategies used in contact and
interaction between a child and a teacher of the visually impaired, when they
are both blind.

The importance of physical contact and simultaneous use
of hands to increase the possibility of joint attention, the sharing of information,
of interaction, and learning.

The quality of interaction is improved when the child is
clearly confirmed through the tactile and auditory sense simultaneously.

A blind teacher is in a position to know what is critical
information for a blind child, and may convey this to the child in a natural
manner.

A blind teacher and a blind child both need time, slow pace,
and a general view of the environment.

A blind teacher and a blind child are equal in a way that
will strengthen their experience of a common identity.

The teacher will have a substantial amount of credibility
when it comes to imparting problem-solving strategies.

She is also in a good position to function as a model.

A blind teacher is a carrier of the blinds’ own history
and culture which, consciously or not, will be transferred to the blind student.

A blind child’s points of view and expertise on herself
may be extremely useful in the analysis of strategies and in the planning
of guidance to sighted professionals.

People who are blind have a lot of knowledge that sighted people
do not have when it comes to contact with, interaction with, and teaching of
blind students. Sighted people have a lot to learn.

Visually impaired and sighted professionals should work together
in teams and on a basis of equality. This may vastly increase the chances of
optimal benefit in our work.

Conclusion
So maybe, when a future job applicant who wants to work with a blind child is
being interviewed, the following question should be asked: “Have you reflected
on how you may compensate in this job for not being blind?”

NOTE: The longer, expanded article by these three authors is
available for viewing on the Internet at: http://www.ks-huseby.no/sensiblegraphics/handoverhand.txt.

All
the World’s a Stage

“All the world’s a stage….”
--William Shakespeare, from As You Like It.

Have you ever considered how many times your child will be in
an auditorium, theater, or on a stage during his/her school career? Think about
graduations, for example. From preschool on up, a student could be in the spotlight
as a graduate as many as five or six times during his or her school career,
and most certainly will attend many other graduations of siblings and friends.
And what about the numerous school assemblies, plays, and musicals that a student
will attend not only as a member of the audience, but surely a few--maybe many--times
as a performer on stage as well. Most museums of any size boast auditoriums
for their public education programs. And we haven’t even discussed commercial
theaters, community playhouses, opera and symphony halls, lecture auditoriums,
summer playhouses, or even church performances on a makeshift stage in the basement.

Unfortunately, many blind students feel awkward, fearful, and
dependent in this environment despite their regular exposure to it. And such
feelings are totally unnecessary. Considering the number of times a blind person,
from childhood on, will be in this environment, it certainly warrants setting
aside time for a few well-planned orientation and mobility lessons. Knowledge
and skills in moving about in an auditorium and on a stage will contribute greatly
to any child’s confidence and independence in the school environment and in
the world.

To help you get started, we are reprinting the following orientation
and mobility lesson plans for auditoriums and stages from the book by Doris
Willoughby and Sharon Monthei, Modular Instruction for Independent Travel
for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired. I hope the title sounds
familiar, and I hope many of our readers already own it. If not, I encourage
you to get it. A description of the book is online at the NFB Web site: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NOPBC_Books.asp?SnID=530022273.
Information about where and how to order it is included at the end of the article.
Here, now, is what Willoughby and Monthei have to say:

MODULE 76: An Auditorium or Theater

by Doris M. Willoughby and Sharon L. Monthei

OBJECTIVE: (1) The student will detect step-downs and drop-offs
with the cane, and proceed appropriately.
(2) The student will locate an appropriate seat, sit down, and stow the cane,
in varied situations such as auditoriums, libraries, and restaurants.

AGE OF STUDENT: Preschool and up (see individual examples)

PRIMARY SKILL EMPHASIS:
Detecting step-downs or drop-offs
Floor plans
Finding a seat
Stowing cane
In a crowd or a line
Stairs
Sound direction and meaning

ADDITIONAL SKILL EMPHASIS:
Structure of buildings
Human guide
Walking in company with others
Meeting the public
Corners, turns, and angles
Orientation within a room
Obstacles in path
Purchase or transaction
Flexibility and confidence
Careers

SEE ALSO (Other Modules):
In a Crowd
Walking Independently While Following Someone
Alternate Routes Within a Building
Orientation Inside New Classroom
Human Guide
Unexpected Drop-off or Step-Down
Visually Confusing Appearance

REMARKS: Show parents and school staff how reliably the cane
finds the edge of the stage. Urge that the student be expected to use her cane
when she is on stage--when she walks up to receive an award, give a real speech,
sing with the chorus, etc.

A blind student may act in a play or take part in any other
activity.

Many blind adults recall that their strongest feeling at their
own graduation was fear of falling off the stage. How sad--how unnecessary.

TEACHER PREPARATION: Look around the auditorium and the stage.
Note overall characteristics and interesting features. Determine whether the
student is already somewhat familiar with the area; if so, build on any existing
knowledge.

ACTIVITIES:
EXAMPLE 1: GENERAL ORIENTATION
(Elementary grades)
(This example assumes a school auditorium with built-in-seating.)
Ask the student to enter and find any seat, sit down, and place the cane where
it is out of the aisle and won’t roll away. (Each time the student takes a seat
during this lesson, she should put the cane down and pretend she is going to
stay.)

“Think about how it is when other people are here. When you’re
walking down the aisle past the rows of seats, how can you tell if a seat is
already occupied? … Yes, you might listen; gently touch the back of the seat;
touch people’s feet gently with your cane; ask if there is an empty seat nearby…
And, of course if it’s a school assembly, you might have assigned seats.

“Practice that, please. I will walk on down the aisle and take
a seat on the end of a row, on the left side of this aisle. You come along down,
notice where I am, and take a seat farther forward.

“Now, please imagine that you need to climb over a couple of
people to get to a seat inside the row. Your cane can help you find where to
step, and at the same time it can tell you where there is an empty seat.

“I’m going to move three rows back on this same side of the aisle. I’ll sit
near the end, but perhaps not quite at the end. I’ll tell you when I’m ready.
Then you count three rows toward the back, walk on in past me, and take the
next seat on the other side of me. This is good practice for crowds.”

Continue with practice such as the following:

“Walk all the way down this aisle toward the front, and
find the stage area. But don’t go on the stage now. Use your cane well, and
be alert for steps and other things.”

When the student arrives at the front, discuss the slope
downward from the back of the auditorium. Were there steps, or was it just
a gradual slope?

Explore the area in front of the stage. Examine the orchestra
pit if there is one; otherwise, describe what an orchestra pit is. (It does
not always have a railing in front. Careless blind persons, often with useful
sight, have fallen into such places when not using a cane.) Find the front
of the stage, and the steps leading up.

Walk around the perimeter of the room, getting as close
to the sidewalls as the seating permits. Discuss how many people can be seated.

Do the outermost sections reach all the way to the wall,
without an aisle next to the wall? Take a seat next to the wall.

Go to the front row and sit down.

Go to the back of the auditorium and take a seat in the
last row.

“Have you noticed how many aisles there are that go from
back to front? Check this by walking behind the back row and counting aisles.”

“Are there any aisles, or major breaks, where you can easily
walk from side to side in the audience? Walk down the middle aisle, and keep
touching the nearest seat on one side as you walk by. See if all the rows
are evenly spaced.”

Find the center section, and take a seat.

Discuss whether row numbers start at the front or back.
Then say, “Go to row four. Take the third seat to the right of the center
aisle.”

The student acts as “usher” and shows the teacher to a seat.

The student should easily be able to go to a seat which
is far from the aisle, even if the rows are crowded together and if she must
step over the feet of others already seated. Practice this, with the student
actually climbing past at least one person (the teacher) some of the time.
For example, “I will direct you to some more seats. This time, I will be sitting
in a seat near the aisle. You will climb over me and sit in the third seat.”
(The teacher makes a point of sitting in various positions, some not very
convenient for the person coming in.)

Locate emergency exits.

The teacher acts as an “usher” and shows the student to
a seat. The cane should continue to be used at all times.

Imagine that the aisles are very crowded. The student walks
a considerable distance and finds a given row, while using her cane close
to the body with pencil grip. (See the Module, “In a Crowd.”)

EXAMPLE 2: A STAGE
(Elementary grades)
Note: Even if there is no regular auditorium, there may be a stage. Many elementary
schools have a stage in conjunction with the gym. Children sit on the floor,
or chairs may be brought in. The blind student should understand where the stage
is and its general layout.

CAUTION: Before going onto a stage, consider the maturity and
behavior of the child. If she is very impetuous, heedless, or uncertain, hold
onto her.

In the seating area, face the stage. Examine the area between
the seats and the stage, as in the above lesson.

Find the steps and go up them. Sweep the cane across the
steps, more than would ordinarily be done; often such steps do not have a
wall or railing on each side.

On the stage, find the front. Note the front. Note how easily
the cane detects the drop-off. Be sure the student understands where she is
in relation to the seating area.

On the stage, walk from side to side at the front, caning
the edge of the stage with each step. Is it straight or curved?

Find the steps again. Are there other ways on and off the
stage? Practice going up and down.

The student walks along at floor level, in front of the
stage. She talks with the teacher, who is above her on the stage. The student
reaches up to examine the height.

On the stage, walk from side to side at the front, caning
the edge confidently.

The student walks diagonally across the stage. Note one
reason for arcing the cane well: the drop-off may be encountered somewhat
to one’s side, rather than straight in front.

Examine the stage curtain. Open and close it if possible.
Practice coming from behind a closed curtain and walking through to the front
of the stage. Discuss how the curtain is used in performances.

Explore backstage areas. If possible, go under the stage.
What is there?

Assisted as needed, the student takes position on stage
facing the “audience.” The teacher goes to a seat. The student then “gives
a speech” (tells a joke, recites a poem, or makes impromptu remarks). The
cane is at her feet. (Keeping her foot on the cane may be a wise precaution
against its rolling away). Alternatively, she holds her cane as she would
when standing elsewhere.

Reverse roles: The student walks down and takes a seat while
the teacher goes up and “gives a speech.”

Both student and teacher take a seat. Without assistance,
the student walks up the steps, faces the audience, and “gives a speech” as
above.

EXAMPLE 3: READINESS
(Preschool age)
Students below kindergarten age, whether blind or sighted, will be closely supervised
while in an auditorium. They will be permitted very little independence.

Nevertheless, selected portions of the above activities are
very appropriate for a preschool-aged child:

Walking around various areas, gaining valuable practice
in using the cane on unusual terrain

Beginning to gain understanding of the overall layout of
a theater, including the stage

Determining whether or not a seat is occupied

Coming in past other people’s feet to enter a row

Exploring the auditorium where the child will go regularly
in kindergarten or first grade

Enjoying an unusual environment; avoiding boredom

EXAMPLE 4: SURPRISE!
(Elementary grades and up)
Sometimes, especially for a theater-arts class, there is a stage entrance directly
from a hallway. The door may look just like other doors.

If such an arrangement exists, and the student is not already
familiar with it, consider asking her to enter the door without being told exactly
what is within. Depending on the student’s experience and ability, she may be
given various degrees of warning. After the drop-off is found and discussed,
you can say, “This is a good example of why the cane should be used even after
entering a room. You could even say that this is a dramatic example--ooh, terrible
pun.”

EXAMPLE 5: A PUBLIC THEATER
(Elementary grades and up)
Often a tour can be arranged at a time when there is no show, especially at
a “live” theater. Explore as much as is practical, in the manner suggested for
the auditorium above. (A theater employee should be with you if you go to a
non-public area, including the stage itself.) Look at the ticket window, the
lobby area, and the snack counter. Walk around on the balcony, examine the front
of it, and be sure the student understands the balcony’s relationship to the
main floor. Find the emergency exits.

EXAMPLE 6: CHECKING AND EXPANDING SKILLS
(Fourth grade and above)
The competence of students above the primary grades in regard to this Module
will vary considerably. At any given age, some students will have a good grasp
of the skills and a good understanding of the general layout of a theater. Others--even
those who are competent elsewhere--may have major misconceptions or lacks. For
example, one student may have always gone only to the assigned seating with
her class, and may have no idea how many aisles and rows there are. Another
student may know how to get onstage from the front, but not realize that there
are entrances from behind the stage.

Many students are fearful of falling off a stage. Many believe
incorrectly that the cane is “in the way,” too conspicuous, and not very helpful
in any part of a theater.

It is wise to “spot-check” even an advanced student. Try a few
selected exercises from the examples above (presented in an age-appropriate
manner). If many problems and needs emerge, the student should have detailed
practice.

Moving about comfortably in theater-style seating is important
for anyone. Furthermore, most people, at one time or another, find themselves
on stage--perhaps only briefly and as part of a group, but nevertheless on the
stage.

Integrate and reinforce skills:

Recently, I complimented one of my students for an excellent
talk about Braille at the city-wide PTA meeting. But I was disappointed that
her cane had been nowhere in sight.

“I could never have found my way around that auditorium at
South High alone,” she protested. “Someone had to guide me up to the podium.
And I didn’t know where I’d put my cane. In some theaters there’s no way you
can get it under the seats.”

Looking around the student’s own school, I located a theater-arts
classroom with which she was not familiar. We found a time when it was vacant,
and I (with exaggerated fanfare) simulated the PTA program: “May I show you
to a seat, Ms. Ainsworth? … And now it’s time for the next item… Ms. KAREN AINSWORTH!
Would you come on up to the podium, Ms. Ainsworth? Right up here…”

Thus she walked toward my voice, here and there in the large
room which had unexpected step-downs. To her delight and surprise, she easily
succeeded without ever taking my arm. (I explained that in a real situation,
she might indeed choose to take someone’s arm for a time, but this did not exclude
the cane.) She practiced placing the cane under her seat and by the podium.
During “informal moments after the program,” she walked around the room alone.
Later we repeated all this while her mother watched.

With a cane, one may choose to accept various degrees of help
from time to time. Without a cane, there is no choice but dependency.

VARIATION(S): Introduce your student to various kinds of settings,
formal and informal. Compare the seating in a church or temple. Examine an outdoor
amphitheater or stadium. Discuss definitions and graduations--e.g., when does
a “meeting room” or “classroom” become an “auditorium” or a “theater”?

How to order:Modular Instruction for Independent Travel for Students who are Blind or
Visually Impaired may be ordered from the NFB Independence Market at 1800
Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230. Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension
2216. Fax: (410) 659-5129. Email: independencemarket@nfb.org. Web site: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Products_and_Technology.asp.

You may order online, by phone, or by fax if you use a VISA,
MasterCard, or Discover credit card. The book in regular print format is item
number LSA01P and costs $20 plus shipping and handling. Please contact the Independence
Market for current shipping and handling charges.

Paving
the Way for Friendships and Inclusion

by Barbara Cheadle and Wendy Nusbaum

Barbara Cheadle:

You’ve found (finally) a great childcare or preschool program
that will enroll your child--and best yet, they seem enthusiastic and excited
about the opportunity to have him or her. After a few weeks, however, you realize
that the other kids don’t “get” it. Some kids totally ignore your child as if
he or she were part of the furniture, and some kids are all over him or her
in their eagerness to “help.” Some kids think it’s fun to play “guess who I
am,” and others are like ghosts as they flit by and around your son or daughter,
never speaking directly to him or her. You are at a loss. You want your child
to fit in and make friends, but your son or daughter just isn’t mature enough
yet to take on the entire task of educating his or her peers.

Wendy and Mike Nusbaum of Westminster, Maryland, and parents
of eight-year-old Christopher Nusbaum, faced this problem several years ago,
and came up with a solution that worked for their son. Wendy composed a letter
to the parents of Christopher’s playmates and, with the cooperation of the childcare
center administrators, sent the letter home with the kids. It turned out to
be a simple, yet effective strategy. The parents of Christopher’s playmates
followed Wendy’s advice and talked to their kids. Soon their behavior toward
Christopher changed, giving Christopher a chance to make friends and become
a part of the group. I’m absolutely certain Wendy isn’t the only parent who
has done this, but she is the one who sent me a copy of her letter with permission
to publish it.

Whether we like it or not, the task of educating others about
blindness is an ongoing reality in the lives of every blind person of any age.
For young blind children, most of that burden falls on us--the parents. But
that burden can be a little lighter when we share, parent-to-parent, blind adult-to-parent,
our stories and our solutions.

Over the years, Wendy has gone beyond letters to develop training
sessions (in collaboration with Christopher’s Braille teacher) for Christopher’s
new team of teachers each year. She is also always on the lookout for other
places in the community where she can educate people, especially those who will
interact with Christopher on a regular basis. In her church community, she and
a couple of other mom’s of children with disabilities realized that they did
not feel comfortable around each other’s children, so the three of them developed
and conducted a training session for all church members.

Wendy and Mike belong to an ever-growing cadre of NFB parents
who take the initiative to teach their communities about how to include their
blind kids, and, in the process, they change many people’s attitudes about blindness
in general. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. Here, now, is Wendy’s letter;
and, yes, you not only have permission to copy it or use it as a template, we
URGE you to do so!

Wendy Nusbaum:

Dear Fellow Celebree Parents,

We would like to start with saying “thank you” for taking the
time to read this letter. We would also like to take this time to thank Lisa
and Celebree for stepping outside the box three-and-one-half-years ago and saying
“yes” to Christopher joining the Celebree family. It may surprise you how many
people were not willing to accept a blind child into their daycare setting,
but not Lisa. Her response was, “We do not know a lot about blindness, but we
are willing to learn.” So here we are today, having learned a lot together and
now needing to teach others.

Years ago we were told that between the ages of four and six,
Christopher and his peers would start to understand what it means to be blind.
Well, we are finding that to be very true. This year many of the children have
been asking questions and have wanted to help Christopher. We find that very
heart warming, as blind kids sometimes are not accepted by their peers. However,
we are finding that they do not always know the best way to help him. Thus,
the purpose of this letter. We were hoping that you might take a few moments
to explain some of this to your child(ren) with the hope that we can alleviate
some of their frustrations and Christopher’s. We thought we might provide you
with a few suggestions of things to discuss with your child(ren).

1) It would be very helpful to Christopher if the kids would
give him their names when they are talking to him--just for a little while.
Just like your child has learned his friends’ names and faces, Christopher will
put their names and voices together. It will not take him long once he starts
to separate out all the new voices. He just needs a name to go with a voice
a few times.

2) If you think Christopher needs help, please ask--do not just
grab him and help. He is like any other five-year-old and wants to “do it by
himself.” He also may not know you are there, and you could startle him. He
is pretty good about letting you know if he wants to do it by himself or if
he needs help.

3) Please do not grab Christopher’s hands. His hands are his
“eyes.” This startles him and frustrates him very quickly. It is like someone
grabbing at our eyes or face, except we can see it coming and he cannot. If
you need him to find something, let him know where it is. He knows his left
from right, and “in front of” and “behind.” You can also tap on something or
beside it. Christopher is very good at locating a sound. This can also be used
to help him orient himself in a room if he gets twisted around.

These are just a few things that we thought might help you and
your child(ren). We have also attached a sheet with other information for when
you encounter someone who is blind. If you have any questions please feel free
to talk to us either at Celebree or call us at [phone numbers]. We are more
then willing to answer any questions concerning Christopher and his blindness.

Again thank you for taking this time and for caring enough to
help Christopher and his friends form lasting relationships.

Sincerely,
Wendy and Mike Nusbaum

Supplementing
Your Child’s School Experience

by Michael K. Meyerhoff, EdD

Editor’s Note: On occasion, I come across a
gem of an article that is not blindness specific, but which truly fits with
the theme of a particular issue. In this back-to-school issue it is helpful,
I think, for parents to be reminded that no school or team of teachers can provide
a complete education for any child. In this article reprinted from volume 18,
number 2, Pediatrics for Parents, psychologist Dr. Michael Meyerhoff
explains the continuing importance of families in supplementing the school experience.
Here is what he says:

My five-year-old granddaughter started kindergarten this year.
When she returned home from her first session, I immediately asked, “What did
you learn in school today?”

She frowned back at me and replied, “I guess not enough. They
say I have to go back again tomorrow.”

This story reminds us that just because school is over for the
day, it doesn’t mean your child has stopped learning. In fact, throughout childhood,
some of the most significant educational experiences take place outside the
classroom.

From the beginning of kindergarten until they graduate from
grammar school, children spend a lot of time receiving formal instruction in
many important subjects from their teachers. However, given the limitations
of the system, it is inevitable that certain aspects of their development simply
cannot be fully addressed.

For one thing, schools are not always designed to nurture curiosity.
Given state-wide curriculum requirements and the corresponding practice of developing
daily lesson plans, teachers often are pressured to “stay on schedule” and do
not routinely have the luxury of indulging all the tangential inquiries little
ones love to present. While this allows for the requisite “instruction” to take
place, it does not necessarily permit each child to receive a complete “education.”

As Socrates said, “Education is not the filling of a vessel:
it is the kindling of a flame.” Consequently, it is not until they get home
that many children get a full opportunity to ask all of the questions ruminating
about in their minds and can be offered all the assistance they desire in finding
or figuring out the answers (which typically leads to even more questions).
While teachers at school usually manage to ignite several small fires every
day, it is through relaxed, unstructured interactions with their parents and
others that those small fires can be fanned into roaring intellectual pyrotechnics.

In addition, schools sometimes are unable to foster a great
deal of creativity. Since one teacher is responsible for a large number of students,
every one is generally required to do the same thing in the same way at the
same time. And since “success” in school is often determined by scores on standardized
tests, the emphasis is usually on coming up with the “correct” answer.

Consequently, many children do not get sufficient opportunities
to pursue their own particular interests and exercise their own special abilities
until they return home. At that time, through fun, fascinating, free-form play
activities, they at least get the chance to explore and expand the knowledge
and skills they are acquiring in school according to their own individual inclinations
and inspirations--and as a result, they gradually develop their own unique insights
and innovations.

Finally, schools are not ordinarily geared toward encouraging
cooperation. With their mandate, academic institutions tend to focus heavily
on intellectual skills, and the interpersonal skills sometimes get very scant
attention. And due to the fact that scholastic programs tend to become progressively
more selective in their admissions requirements, a child’s classmates are typically
“competitors” rather than “companions” in the learning process.

Consequently, it is not until they come home and engage in recreational
activities that many children get the chance to learn how to get along with
their peers. It is largely through play that they develop the capacity to take
the perspective of another person, to share ideas and information, and to coordinate
efforts in a pleasant and productive fashion.

Society needs knowledgeable, skillful people in order to function.
It also needs curious, creative, cooperative people in order to flourish. Therefore,
it is imperative that parents supplement the school experience by providing
plenty of opportunities for intriguing and imaginative interpersonal play. While
teachers are charged with producing competent citizens, it is mothers and fathers
who must ensure that their children grow up to be complete, caring human beings.

Michael K. Meyerhoff, EdD, is executive director of The
Epicenter Inc., “The Education for Parenthood Information Center,” a family
advisory and advocacy agency.

Child
Development and Assessment

by Alan Garrels

Reprinted from volume 2, number 1, of About Blind Children
(ABC), a publication of the Washington State Department of Services for
the Blind.

Editor’s Note: The following article is one
of two in this issue that are not blindness specific. This one, however, was
written by a professional who has worked in services for blind children for
many years. Alan Garrels is the program manager of Child and Family Services
for the Department of Services for the Blind, Washington State. He wrote this
piece because he wanted to help the parents he worked with to become better
observers and supporters of their own children’s development. He also wanted
to introduce parents to the jargon and common assessment tools used by therapists
and educators. Knowledge, so it is said, is power. As you read you will notice
that in the two examples of how children develop, there is a strong emphasis
on the importance of multi-sensory input in the learning process. Too often
parents of blind children are bombarded with messages that tell them how key
the visual sense is to learning and how hard it is going to be for their child
to compensate for that missing sense. The straightforward facts presented in
this short piece demonstrate how all systems work together to advance development.
Here is what Garrels has to say:

“We judge our children by what we feel they are capable
of doing, while others judge them by what they have done.”
--Longfellow

Child Development and Assessment
There are various theories on the subject of child development. It is not our
intention to explore the particularities of individual theories but to discuss
general themes and aspects of child development.

One of the more universally accepted theories is that child
development is sequential in nature; that there is often a hierarchy of skills
from which milestones can be determined, regardless of the skills that are being
assessed.

For purposes of illustration let us review the development sequence
most children experience when acquiring the ability to walk independently. A
baby, resting on its back, will be observed to attempt trunk rotation and to
lift his shoulders and hips up from his mattress.

From this position a baby can roll over to a prone or tummy
position. This is an important milestone for once a child can position himself
in a prone position several things are likely to occur. As a child lifts his
head he strengthens his neck and shoulder muscles. He also begins to develop
a sense of his environment using visual, auditory, and vestibular input. The
next milestone occurs when the baby begins to roll and attempts forward locomotion.
Working to keep babies resting in prone position will assist in development
for they will begin to use their arms and legs for forward motion and pulling
up to a crawling position. It is important to reinforce this milestone because
through crawling a baby is acquiring several skills that will further assist
his gross motor development. While crawling a child begins to practice reciprocal
motion. This motor milestone is important to a child’s quality of movement,
gait pattern, and his ability to remain oriented to his environment. Secondly,
in crawling a baby will begin reinforcing his sense of balance. As a baby crawls
and learns more of his environment he is also working towards his next milestone,
pulling himself up to a standing position. In a normal sequence it will be necessary
for the large muscle groups to have the requisite strength to keep a child erect
and balanced. While these muscles do not normally mature until a child is somewhere
in the area of 6 to 12 months of age, look back on all of the important perceptual
and motor skills that have been exercised before these large muscles are strong
enough to help a baby stand. It is now that a child will take the next step
on the developmental chart. When ready to begin walking a child will utilize
all the skills they have mastered: motor development, sensory input, balance,
and strength.

On a developmental continuum there can be many stops along the
way and children will often plateau or remain at one level for a sustained period
of time. This is often the situation with sensory and physically impaired children
for they need to allow all the various component skills to catch up with another,
or to compensate for one another, before they proceed.

To further illustrate the concept of sequential development,
let us review visual perception and learning. Again, from a sequential perspective,
a baby will understandably be reflexive in nature, but it is important to observe.
The next developmental milestone usually is for a baby to begin attending to
a light source or an object that contrasts with the background against which
the object is perceived. The ability to attend to an object is often referred
to as fixation and it is at this milestone that we observe a baby attempting
to use her eyes together or in focus. This aspect of visual learning is perceptual
and related to cognitive development. It is strengthening the eye muscles and
training them to work in synchronization. Typically a baby will begin to localize
objects in her near environment and after finding an object she will then fixate
on it. With multi sensory input a baby will begin, to some extent, to show an
ability to discriminate. The sound of her mother’s voice paired with a touch
will prompt a baby to look toward or fixate on her mother’s face and she will
begin to associate her mother’s face, smell, voice, and touch.

After a baby begins to find and fixate on objects, the next
developmental milestone is for her to track an object as it moves through her
visual field. Once again, we are observing several systems working together:
muscle development, visual perception, and cognitive development. As a baby
is able to track an object, the next sequential phase is to involve other systems
and it is then that we observe a child reaching out to the object and visually
attending to their hands as they come into contact with the object.

Sequential visual development therefore calls for the development
of that portion of the brain that perceives light and images, development of
the muscles controlling eye movement, and control of the muscle groups which
will enable a child to integrate what she perceives to what she can touch, feel,
and relate to through a multitude of senses.

With respect to assessing what exactly a child is capable of
seeing it is first necessary to observe the developmental milestones of visual
perception and learning.

At this point in our discussion please notice that we have refrained
from assigning an age to our phases or milestones. The purpose of this discussion
has not been to look at child development in terms of chronology but rather
to view achievement in terms of what sequential development is and how it is
important to the quality of basic sensory and motor growth.

As parents you will most certainly be given reports and evaluations
that place your child’s ability to perform certain functions on a developmental
chart or profile. At the same time you are cautioned by professionals not to
compare your child’s abilities to that of another child. There is a very real
difference between comparing individuals to one another and attempting to place
a child’s abilities on a continuum of development. What a therapist or educator
is trying to accomplish when assessing a child is to establish what the child
has done and to assign those achievements to a spot on a developmental continuum.
These profiles give the therapist/educator an opportunity to objectively view
the skills in the context of normal sequential development and to work on the
skills that will guide a child to the next developmental milestone.

Parents are often introduced to different checklists and assessment
tools used by therapists and educators. CLOSER LOOK, available from Washington
PAVE, prepared the following glossary:

Achievement test--Tests that measure the extent
to which a person has acquired certain information or learned how to do something--usually
because it has been taught.

Assessment--The gathering of information about
strengths and weaknesses in a child’s abilities, levels of functioning, and
learning characteristics.

Behavioral objective--Statement, in measurable
terms, of what a person will be able to do. Example: John will be able to correctly
write the first ten spelling words in five minutes.

Chronological age--A person’s actual age by
the calendar, usually given by year and month.

Cognitive--Thinking, understanding, and being
able to use judgment and memorization.

Correlation--Relationship between two scores
or measures. Example: students who score well on language aptitude tests may
also show aptitude for development of good reading skills (but not necessarily).

Criterion referenced tests--Tests, which do
not produce a number or quotient, but show what a student can or cannot do.
They compare a child not to other children, but to a set of standards or criteria.
Tests to measure a child’s own progress within himself/herself.

Development--Stages of growth from babyhood
on up, observing in sequential steps. The approximate ages of which steps in
development occur are charted in developmental scales. Generally, development
is measured in the following areas: fine motor, gross motor, cognitive, self-help,
social emotional, and expressive and receptive language.

Developmental lag or delay--A delay in the
appearance of some steps or phases of growth in any of the developmental areas.

Diagnostic test--Test that diagnoses or locates
specific areas of weakness and strength.

Grade equivalent--The average raw score for
all children in the same school grade. That is, if the average raw score of
all third graders was ten correct answers on the arithmetic test, then this
raw score is converted into a grade equivalent score of 3.0 (meaning grade three,
zero month). Most testers caution against putting stock in grade-equivalent
scores when they are higher or lower than average. They provide a very rough
estimate of a child’s mastery of academic work or capacity to learn.

IQ Intelligence Quotient--A way of expressing
the results of a score on an intelligence test. IQ scores, generally speaking,
compare a person tested with a large number of other persons of the same age.
Children with disabilities and children who don’t understand questions based
on cultural experience are at a disadvantage. Scores are no longer regarded
as reliable for large sections of the population. IQ must never be used by itself
as a measure of intellectual capacity.

Mental age--Refers to the score a person receives
on an intelligence test. Compares scores to the results achieved by other children
given the same test at the same age.

Norm--Statistical term describes the performance
of some specific group. Norms indicate normal, usual, or average performance.

Norm-referenced test--Test that compares a
learner’s performance to a norm or an average.

Objective test--Tests in which a single answer
key is used. Scorers have no option as to rightness or wrongness of answer.
Examples are multiple choice or true/false tests.

Percentile--A score that reflects a comparison
of one child’s performance with others who are taking the same test. Percentile
rank refers to a point in a distribution of scores. Example: if a child scores
in the eightieth percentile, it means that eighty percent of all children taking
that test scored below that level.

Profile--A graphic representation of the results
of several comparable tests. A profile is useful in identifying general areas
of strength and those needing reinforcement.

Psychological test--Covers a range of tests
used for studying people and how they behave. May be intelligence tests to study
personality, or other tests to decide if there may be an organic impairment
of functioning.

Readiness test--Test that ascertains whether
a learner is ready for certain school tasks.

Standardized test--A test given to a group
of students under uniform conditions, with the same instructions, time limits,
etc. Tests are designed by sampling performance of other students, using results
as a norm for judging achievement.

Subjective test--Tests in which different scorers
may rate the answers differently. No set answer key. Example: essay test.

Infants and pre-schoolers are often assessed using informal
skill inventories.

Two commonly used tools are the Hawaii Early Learning
Profile (HELP) and the Oregon Project (OR).

The HELP consists of 685 developmental skills
for children between 0-36 months. Formatted on a checklist it is a non-standardized
test used to facilitate individual assessment, program planning, and recording
of children's progress within the developmental areas of cognition, language,
gross and fine motor, social-emotional, and self-help.

The OR consists of 640 behavioral statements
organized in eight developmental areas: cognitive, language, socialization,
vision, compensatory, self-help, fine motor, and gross motor. The Oregon
Project is designed to provide assessment and curriculum guidance to
educators and parents of young blind children from infancy to 6 years of age.
A criterion-referenced assessment, the OR is not designed to provide precise
scores. The Oregon Project includes curriculum guides and suggested teaching
activities.

Commonly Used Tests

AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale--Used with children
3 and up. This test uses a normed questionnaire that helps to determine the
child’s strengths and weaknesses in self-help and social skills. It is scored
in percentile ranks and standard deviations.

Alpern Boll Developmental Profile--Children
6 months to 11 years. It is an interview measure although it is generally used
as a direct test. Age scores are developed for each area in the test and an
estimated overall IQ equivalent. Five areas are tested: gross/fine motor, self-help,
social, cognitive, and language.

Baley Scale of Infant Development--Usually
used with children 2 to 30 months in age. Has been used with children over 30
months with suspected delays to determine a possible age equivalent. It is divided
into three scales and tests cognitive and gross motor skills.

Bender Gestalt Test for Young Children--Used
with children 5 to 11 years. It tests perceptual motor functions of the child.
Scores are given by age norms. It is used solely for sensory testing.

Columbia Mental Maturity Scale--Used mainly
with hearing impaired children, non-verbal children, and children from different
language and cultural backgrounds, ages 3.5 to 9 years. It tests non-verbal
cognitive reasoning and ability. It gives an age deviation score and an estimate
of the age level the child’s performance is nearest.

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning
(DIAL)--Tests children from 2.5 to 5.5 years. Used basically as a preschool
screening tool. It is used in various school districts throughout Washington
State. It has a tendency to test a false high. It generates scores in four areas
that can be computed to age equivalents. It tests in gross motor, fine motor,
concepts, and communication.

Peabody Developmental Scales--Children birth
to 7 years. This is one of the more comprehensive tests. It is scored on scales
to give age equivalents. It tests fine and gross motor skills.

Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT)--Used
with children kindergarten through twelfth grades. This is an individually administered
test. It is broken down into five basic subtests. It provides scores in grade
equivalent, percents, and a standard score. It tests the areas of math, reading,
spelling, and general knowledge.

You’re
Not in Kansas Anymore, Dorothy

by Christine Brown

Reprinted from the June 2003, issue of the Braille
Monitor, the monthly magazine of the National Federation of the Blind.

Editor’s Note: This presentation was initially
given to the mid-winter conference conducted by the National Association of
Blind Students (NABS) held in Washington, D.C., on February 1, 2003. In other
words, a roomful of young blind college students--not parents. However, it is
exactly the kind of speech that I think every parent of a blind college-bound
student should eavesdrop in on--and the earlier the better. Here is what Ms.
Brown has to say about what it takes for a blind student to really succeed in
college:

Are you inspired today? I am. I’m inspired by the members of
the National Federation of the Blind.

I am a coordinator of services for blind students in the Disabled
Student Services office at the University of Michigan. Now, before you boo and
hiss and throw tomatoes at the stage, let me tell you that I believe in blind
people. I am a graduate of the NFB orientation and mobility master’s program
at Louisiana Tech and a proud member of the National Federation of the Blind.
The National Federation of the Blind has taught me that my role is to empower
blind students, spur them on to reaching their fullest potential, and help equip
them with skills to go on to become gainfully employed in their field of choice.

I have been asked to speak to you this morning about the role
of a disabled student services office in the life of blind students and what
I perceive to be the students’ rights and responsibilities that go along with
these services.

Let me start by telling you a true story. I encountered a blind
freshman recently who would tell you that she had had the best services available
in high school. In her mind she was fully prepared for college. If she needed
Braille books, they were ordered by someone for her. If she had an exam, she
would show up for the test and a crisp Braille copy would be waiting for her
on her desk. If she needed to get to class or an appointment on campus, a staff
member was always ready to extend an arm to take her there.

She graduated with a 3.8 grade point average and had a very
high level of confidence that she would succeed in college--why wouldn’t she
think that? She had succeeded very well to this point and had had great services,
right? To respond to this question in the youthful vernacular, let me just say,
“Not!” The student’s name could have been Dorothy, and I want to say, “Dorothy,
let me just tell you that you’re not in Kansas anymore.”

This student started the enrollment process at the university,
and it was time for her first placement exam. She walked up to the front of
the room and said, “Hi, I’m here to take my exam in Braille.” Well, no dialogue
with the professor had taken place beforehand, and the professor had no idea
what the student was talking about. You can imagine that the situation just
got more complicated from there.

I would assert that this student did not get great services
in high school because no one prepared her for the next step. No one gave her
tools in her toolbox to succeed; they just took care of everything for her.
My friends, this concept is called custodialism, and it is a dangerous adversary.
It can be subtle and disguised by the best of intentions on the part of the
staff. It can reside under a sugar coating of desire to protect the student
and be decorated with some sprinkles on top that minimize the student’s ability
to be a competent and competitive individual.

This student’s high school staff had the responsibility to teach
her to stand on her own two feet. They should have taught her to advocate for
herself, to travel independently and without assistance, to register for classes
on her own, to take notes in class, to communicate the best medium for taking
exams with faculty, to use a slate and stylus and adaptive technology equipment,
to be held to exactly the same standards as her sighted peers, and to succeed
in life on her own.

I tell you this story because I believe that DSS offices have
the same responsibility at the college level. Sadly, this is not the only student
I’ve encountered who has been in this boat, and it is a cold and rude awakening
for these students. An old saying about parenting goes, “If you let them make
little decisions when they are little, they’ll be able to make big decisions
when they are big.” The same is true for you in leaping out of the nest and
learning to fly on your own as a successful college student. You might be thinking
to yourself, “I know I’ll be able to do it myself when the time comes, but I’m
going to take advantage of all these great services.” I guarantee that you could
read every book ever published on how to swim, but until you jump into the cold
water, you won’t really know if you can do it.

What does this mean for you? I encourage you to avoid viewing
the DSS office in extreme terms. On one side of the coin you should not view
it as your enemy to be avoided like the plague, and on the other side of the
coin you should not view it as your caregiver or the entity that will take care
of everything for you. Let’s talk about your rights and responsibilities as
a college student.

Your rights are clearly defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act and under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I like what Peggy Pinder
Elliott has to say about the ADA. She says, “Whenever a blind person is tempted
to say the words ‘Americans with Disabilities Act,’ that blind person should
pause, take a deep breath, do a little mind-emptying exercise, and then focus
on the real question, which is ‘How am I myself--this very person and no one
else--going to get this job done?’ Any temptation to duck, wangle, or permit
others to do our coping for us should be firmly resisted.”

You have the right to receive materials in an alternative format
and the right to reasonable accommodations in your classes. Materials in alternative
format could include Braille, scanned materials, or books on tape; and reasonable
accommodations could include using a laptop to enter exam answers or extended
time on exams if you are using a live reader for an essay exam.

Your responsibilities are to go talk to your professors, on
your own, before the term begins; to establish a rapport; and to answer any
questions they may have. You have an opportunity to educate your professors
about what it will be like to have a successful and independent blind student
in his or her class.

You should ensure that you have the tools you need to succeed,
such as technology, books, note-taking capability, and the ability to use the
Internet as a powerful tool and conduct research using online resources. You
will notice the operative word here is “you.”

I have another saying (I have a lot of sayings): “Be a forest
ranger, not a firefighter.” What does this mean? It means be alert, know what
is ahead instead of putting out a huge blaze. I highly recommend that you make
it a practice to forecast what you will need to succeed and make sure that everything
is in place.

If you are not sure what you need because you are new, then
learn to network. Partner with other students in the division who are successful
and find out what they did. Networking means maximizing resources and knowing
how and where to get information. I have another saying, “If you’re not networking,
you’re not working!” You are welcome to partner with your DSS coordinator, but
remember two things: 1) this person is earning a salary on your behalf, and
it is you who decide what course of action to take; and 2) you have no better
resource than a successful blind student. I’m going to repeat this one: “You
have no better resource than a successful blind student.” Partnering with your
DSS coordinator becomes sticky territory because only a handful of people in
positions like mine hold the belief that it is respectable to be blind and know
the truth about blindness. Then there is the majority--those sugar-coated, well-intentioned
people who want to make all your worries go away.

If you have one of these sugar-coated people in your DSS office,
I encourage you to use the services judiciously and set some expectations--for
example, that it will be you who arrange your test-taking, you who will talk
to your professors, and you who will get a job when all is said and done. It
is tempting to take the easy path, but I guarantee you it isn’t smart. In fact,
I was joking with a friend at national convention in Kentucky who took my arm
to go through the convention hall instead of using her cane. She joked, “This
is easy; I could get used to this.” Both she and I knew that she had excellent
cane travel skills and could have navigated her way through the room without
a problem, but pragmatically it made sense at that moment for her to use an
alternate tool.

This is the key to your success: have a multitude of tools available
and know your options. The greatest definition of freedom is choice. If you
don’t have choices and options, you’ve just lost your freedom.

Also set your expectations high. I encourage you to take a hard
look at yourself and work on areas that need improvement. When I came to Michigan,
I had a few students who were always late to appointments with me. They didn’t
say anything or give me a reason when they were late; they just showed up late.
Apparently this had been an acceptable standard before I came, and no one challenged
the issue. I had to sit down with them and establish a new expectation. Some
people may say, “Oh, the poor blind student, he just can’t make it on time--I’m
going to let it slide.” I say, just say no to this kind of thinking. I expect
exactly the same of you as I would from your sighted peers because I view you
as equal to them. You will be judged equally if you behave at their standard
or above.

I would like you to think for a moment about your future. When
you get a job and your new boss says, “Please find out all you can about global
warming, write a report, and take it to Bob Smith at 905 Washington Street by
10 a.m.,” will you be up to the task?
I encourage you to think in terms of long-range planning. Can you be sure that
you will be able to take the next step?

I close by again quoting Peggy Pinder Elliott, who has written
some great articles on dealing with DSS offices. If you haven’t read her articles
online, you should. She says:

When a DSS office does it for us, it translates into failure
to learn coping skills. So say it nicely, say it with kindness, say it with
firmness, but say it! “I’ll do it myself.” And make it stick. Make it stick
with the DSS office, and make it stick with yourself. When you do, we’re all
winners. We win when we discover self-reliance, when we build our own dignity,
when we learn to handle tasks for ourselves without even thinking much about
it. In other words, we win when we find out who we are and reject the trappings
of custodialism, however they are dressed up and disguised. In a very real,
very practical sense that is exactly what Dr. Jernigan meant when he said: “We
know who we are, and we will never go back.”

My
Triple Life as Worker, Student, and Federationist

by Angela Howard

Reprinted from the Spring 2003 issue of the Minnesota
Bulletin, a publication of the NFB of Minnesota.

One of the things I like most about our organization, the National
Federation of the Blind, is that we are a very take-charge kind of people. We’re
always looking for ways to improve ourselves as an organization as well as in
our individual lives.

I currently work in the human resources department for a student
loan company in St. Paul. Last spring, after some soul-searching, I decided
that this isn’t the job I want to have for the rest of my life, and in order
to get where I really want to be in my life, I needed to further my education.
I signed up for a class at the Hubert Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs
at the University of Minnesota--with some fear, but also with a lot of excitement.
On my first day of class, my teacher walked in and said, “Raise your hand if
you want to change the world and make the world a better place.” He said, “If
you raised your hand, then you’re in the right class.” Immediately I knew that
I was making the right decision in my life.

Going back to school has been very challenging but also very
rewarding for me. There are three very important lessons that I’ve learned in
my months as a full-time employee and a part-time student.

First is the importance of preparation. This is important for
everyone, but I think it’s even more important for blind people. One of the
things I did to prepare for being a successful student and employee was to meet
with my professor about a month in advance. I wouldn’t suggest meeting quite
so far in advance for most people, but I was very nervous, so it worked out
well for me. I do, however, recommend trying to meet with your professors and
establishing the fact that you are the advocate for yourself--they don’t need
to call the disability services office to find out what to do with you; they
should ask you about it. Make them feel welcome to ask you.

I educated my professor a little bit about blindness; he had
never had a blind student before in his class. I showed him my slate and stylus
and my BrailleNote, and I told him that these were how I would do a lot of my
reading and writing for class. I also told him I would be typing my papers and
turning them in at the same time as everyone else. We discussed ways for me
to complete my final exam at the end of the semester. He also gave me a packet
of papers that he knew he would be using during the class for this semester.
I had the ability and equipment to scan those and have them ready before the
class even started, which has helped me tremendously. I found out the title
of the book and discovered that I could get it through Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic (RFB&D), so I made sure I was registered with RFB&D and
ordered it and had it ready before the class started.

Another way that I’ve prepared in advance is managing what I
need to do and when I need to do it. For example, I had a ten-page paper due
the day after our state NFB annual convention; but I wanted to be at the convention
all weekend. So I knew that I would have to get this paper done several weeks
before everyone else. Everyone in the class I spoke with was surprised that
I was somewhat ahead of them, but I wanted to be at the convention so I had
to get it done.

Let me tell you a little about the paper. The assignment was
to interview someone who is making change at the state legislature on the issue
of education. There are several issues in education that I was interested in;
however, I decided to interview Judy Sanders for my paper. [Sanders is blind
and works on legislative issues for the NFB of Minnesota.] I decided this because
we had to give a four-minute presentation on the paper, and turn in a two-page
summary of our ten-page paper that our professor then puts into a booklet and
uses to teach next year’s class. So I thought of this as a wonderful opportunity
to be able to talk about the Federation and our work for four minutes to my
fellow classmates, as well as teach students whom I won’t even meet in next
year’s class. I thank Judy for her help with the paper, and I’m sure she got
sick of me calling her saying “I have one more question,” which usually ended
up being about fifty more questions.

The second thing I’ve learned during my months of trying to
juggle school and work is the importance of maximizing time. When I coordinated
volunteers through AmeriCorps in my previous position, I attended several workshops
on effective management of volunteers. People said over and over again that
the busier people make the better and more reliable volunteers. This seems counter-intuitive,
but if you think about it, busier people have learned to maximize their time.
For example, I have a two-hour commute on the bus every day to get to and from
work. I used to sit there and do nothing during those two hours, but I’m way
too busy to do nothing now. I spend several lunch hours a week scanning my materials;
I don’t have a scanner working at home, so I take advantage of my lunch hour
to scan materials. I save them on a disk and put them on my BrailleNote, which
allows me to read my schoolwork on the bus, saving me a couple of hours of having
to do work at home. I do have one textbook on tape, so during my weekly attempts
to clean my apartment, I play those tapes so I can get two things done at once.

I’m also studying for the Graduate Record Examination, which
is a standardized test one takes when applying for graduate school. I make out
flash cards of words and math terminology that I’ve forgotten, so I can take
advantage of free time that I have before my class or during my fifteen-minute
breaks or when I’m eating lunch with my co-workers.

The third important key to being a successful full-time employee
and student is to keep focused on your goal. Sometimes it is harder as a blind
person to get the things done that one needs to do to be a successful student
and employee. I’ve had some frustrating moments. Sometimes I’ve thought, “It’s
not fair that I have to spend a lunch hour or two a week scanning materials
that other people can just read.” I had a very frustrating evening one night
when we had a field trip over to St. Paul, and it took me an hour and forty-five
minutes to get home on the bus. On my way home, I wondered if this was really
worth it. After a while I decided that, yes, it is.

Even though it is a little harder sometimes to manage getting
our work done as a blind people, what other option do we have? Are we just going
to sit on the sidelines and let other people pass us by as they chase their
goals--sighted people and blind people who have a little more gumption than
we do? Will we look back and say, “Well, I didn’t get to meet my goals and I’m
not doing what could really make me happy in life because it was a little bit
harder for me sometimes and sometimes the bus took longer…” Of course we’re
not going to do that; Federationists don’t do that.

I thank all of you for the work that you have done. Without
you, and without your work, and without the fact that you decided to raise your
hand and say that you wanted to change the world, I wouldn’t be where I am today,
and we wouldn’t be working toward our goals in our lives. Let’s not stop our
work until every blind person in this country has the opportunity to follow
their dreams and meet their goals.

Braille
Storybook Resources

compiled by the
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230
(410) 659-9314, extension 2360 or 2361 * Fax: (410) 659-5129
bcheadle@nfb.org * www.nfb.org

FREE BOOKS
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults (AAF)
Free Braille Books Program
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
(410) 659-9314, extension 2361 * Fax (410) 659-5129
www.actionfund.org * brailleaction@actionfund.org
Selected popular children’s reading series (currently Jigsaw Jones Mystery®chapter books for grades 2-4; Matt Christopher sports books for grades
5 and up; Sampler set of chapter books from four different series including
SpongeBob SquarePants®; Franny K. Stein; Mad Scientist; My Weird School;
and Ready Freddy) are available free to blind children, teachers, libraries,
etc. The books are mailed out every month so that blind children can have them
at the same time that sighted children can buy the books in the bookstore.

Braille Institute of America, Inc.
741 North Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90029
(800) 272-4553 * (323) 906-3104
www.brailleinstitute.org * ums@brailleinstitute.org
Offers children ages 3-18 a variety of books of which they may select four titles
three times a year. Dots for Tots and TacTales are programs
offered for blind toddlers.

Seeing Hands
P.O. Box 46374
Minneapolis, MN 55446
(763) 404-2675
www.seeinghands.org * info@seeinghands.org
All books in collection available on loan free of charge. Organization also
offers a free Braille book to participants on their birthday!

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS)
1291 Taylor Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20542-0002
(202) 707-5100 * (800) 424-8567 * Fax (202) 707-0712
www.loc.gov/nls * nls@loc.gov
Primary source of Braille and recorded books and magazines for the blind. Books
are loaned through a national network of regional and sub-regional libraries
for the blind and physically handicapped. Catalogs of Braille books for children,
youth, and adults are available. NLS also coordinates Web Braille for patrons
of the regional and sub-regional libraries. This program provides electronic
files of Braille books that can be downloaded for display or embossing. Contact
the Washington, D.C., office for the location of the library for the blind that
serves your area.

** There are two search options. The first allows you to
perform a search similar to one you would find in any public library, i.e. keywords,
author, title etc. The second is an area search to find a library in your state
or region that serves blind readers.

“Very Bumpy Stories” Volunteer Braille Service
1710 Douglas Drive
Golden Valley, Minnesota 55422
(763) 544-2880
www.vbsmn.org * vbsmn@vbsmn.org
Print/Braille books for young readers. The program is open to all individuals
and to school districts in Minnesota only.

** APH offers many services and products. To search for
books, the simplest method is to select the “Louis” search. From there, click
on “Search for Textbooks, Recreational Reading, and Downloadable Files” Now
you have the option of putting in a keyword or entering the ISBN number. If
you know the book title, enter it here. If you simply want to browse all titles,
(though tedious) start at the beginning of the alphabet and in the search field
enter “A”.

The Braille Resource and Literacy Center (The BRL Center)
1094 South 350 West
Orem, Utah 84058
(801) 224-3334 * Fax (801) 224-0089
www.brlcenter.org * contact@brlcenter.org
Offers books for beginning readers in double-spaced, non-interpoint, un-contracted
(or alphabetic) Braille. Pages on the right are in Braille, and the pages to
the left are the same text, line for line, in print. Also offers children’s
books in contracted Braille. A list of titles is available.

National Braille Press (NBP)
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
(617) 266-6160 * (888) 965-8965 * Fax (617) 437-0456
www.nbp.org
NBP offers a Braille Book-of-the-Month club for young readers. The subscription
is $100/year for 13 books. (Sign up as a trial to get notices on titles.) NBP
also offers other Braille books for all age groups, and a Braille manual,
Just Enough to Know Better, for parents who wish to learn Braille. Check
the Web site or call for a free catalog.

State
Braille Standards for Teachers of Students
Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: A National Survey

by Barry B. Frieman

Reprinted from the January 2004 issue of the NFB’s publication,
the Braille Monitor, Barbara Pierce, editor.

Editor’s Note: Barry Frieman is a professor
at Towson University in Maryland. He has performed a valuable service by gathering
into one place the information about how each of the states establishes its
standards for hiring the teachers charged with preparing its blind and visually
impaired students. Please be aware, however, that some changes may have occurred
in the two years since the survey was first published. New Mexico, for example,
has established a program to train teachers of the visually impaired in order
to meet the state’s needs for teachers with specialized knowledge. Nevertheless,
Frieman’s survey and analysis is, we think, as current and as comprehensive
as any readily available from any one source. Therefore, we think it is valuable
information to make available to parents and teachers of blind students. Here
it is:

The Challenge

Principals and administrators are faced with the challenge of
finding competent teachers who have the expertise in Braille to teach children
who are blind and visually impaired. These teachers need many skills other than
Braille in order to be successful, including the ability to teach compensatory
skills; prepare special learning materials; assess student learning; collaborate
and consult with other professionals; understand the physiology of the eye and
the medical implications of visual impairments; teach orientation and mobility;
and other teaching skills. This research project was limited to Braille.

Administrators in local school districts depend upon state education
agencies to set the certification standards for teachers. All states have specific
certification standards for those who teach children who are visually impaired;
however, these standards vary across the country. This research study will report
the variance in Braille certification standards across the country for teachers
of children who are visually impaired.

Teachers and Braille

The American Foundation for the Blind (1996) estimated that
fewer than 10 percent of people who are legally blind in the United States and
fewer than 40 percent of the estimated number who are functionally blind are
Braille readers. Although a great deal of technology is available to aid in
the literacy of children who have some usable vision--computer voice programs,
magnifying devices, audio devices, etc.--these children also need a knowledge
of Braille in order for them to reach their maximum level of literacy and self-sufficiency.

Technology does not guarantee literacy. Spungin (1996) believes
that one of the major reasons for the increasing illiteracy of people who are
blind and visually impaired is the historical emphasis on teaching children
with residual vision to read print. Wittenstein and Pardee (1996) found that
89.4 percent of the teachers surveyed in a national sample agreed that technological
devices should be used to enhance Braille and not to replace it.

As Maneki (1989) points out, problems arise when the person
with a visual impairment who has not been properly trained in Braille is forced
to rely on clearly inadequate partial vision rather than the more efficient
Braille system. Although some children with visual impairments can make use
of enlarged print generated by computers and video technology, Maneki notes
that the limits of depending on large print only--eyestrain, slowness, and the
relative lack of portability of the equipment--makes a convincing argument that
Braille must be taught as well.

Allman (1998) notes that, if vision teachers are expected to
teach Braille and related skills, they must learn these skills in their preservice
training. Knowlton and Berger (1999) point out that teachers not only need to
know Braille but also need to use the new computer technologies that enhance
a teacher’s ability to produce Braille materials. Amato (2002) notes specifically
that teachers of Braille need to be able to demonstrate proficiency in all five
of the Braille codes: literary, Nemeth (math and science), music, foreign language,
and computer. She goes on to suggest that the National Literary Braille Competency
Test be used by teacher preparation programs as an assessment of their preservice
teachers’ Braille skills.

The Research Method

Written queries were sent to departments of education in all
fifty states. State department of education personnel were asked to send a copy
of their certification standards for teachers of children who are blind or visually
impaired. Some states sent paper copies of their standards, others responded
via email, while still others sent instructions on how to find the queried data
on the state’s Web site. Follow-up phone calls or emails were made to state
personnel if clarification was required. Data from the four states that didn’t
respond to the researcher’s request were collected from the state’s Web site.
Data were collected from all fifty states.

Avenues to Certification

States certify (i.e., license) candidates who want to teach
children who are visually impaired in three main ways: requiring the candidate
to graduate from an approved bachelor’s or master’s program from an approved
college or university; have a generic degree (bachelor’s or master’s) in special
education; or have an endorsement to an existing certificate in either early
childhood, elementary, secondary, or special education, spelling out courses
needed to gain that endorsement.

Approved Programs

Nineteen states require candidates to graduate from an approved
program. The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (2003)
requires that colleges or universities applying for approval document that their
preparation program follows the guidelines of a recognized learned society.
The Council for Exceptional Children (2003), a recognized learned society in
special education, has developed performance-based standards for programs to
train teachers of students who have a visual impairment. The standards cover
the following areas:

* Foundations--a general understanding of the basic terminology
related to the visual system, a historical view of education of the blind, and
an understanding of federal programs;

* Development and characteristics of learners--effects of blindness
on development, and physiological and psychosocial issues related to blindness;

* Individual learning differences--effects of blindness on learning;

* Instructional strategies--including strategies to teach Braille
reading and writing, specialized daily living skills, and techniques to modify
instructional materials and methods to best meet the needs of blind children;

If a candidate graduates from an approved program that follows
the Council for Exceptional Children’s standards, an administrator can predict
that the teaching candidate will have the necessary background to teach Braille.

Generic Special Education Degree

Seven states required candidates to have a generic degree in
special education with no mention of a course or competency in Braille. Candidates
with a special education degree will have experience and skills in dealing with
children with special needs but will not necessarily know how to teach Braille.

Endorsement

Twenty-four states require candidates to have courses in order
to earn an endorsement. Candidates with endorsements will have taken an array
of courses related to blindness. Some states require the students to have a
single course in Braille. Completing a course brings no guarantees that the
candidate is competent in Braille. Other states require candidates to show a
competency in Braille. A complete state-by-state report of the findings is noted
at the conclusion of this article.

Action for Administrators

Strong and convincing evidence exists that early literacy in
Braille for students who are visually impaired will facilitate positive outcomes
in many areas (Johnson, 1996; Ryles, 1996). To act in the best interests of
children who are visually impaired, administrators must make a commitment that
every child who is blind or visually impaired shall have the right to be taught
Braille and that the Braille be taught by somebody who is competent in its use.

Today principals have no guarantee that a candidate with formal
credentials from a state will be fluent in Braille. Administrators need to insure
that every candidate hired to work with children who are visually impaired has
the skills to teach Braille.

Summary

To best serve the children who are visually impaired in their
care, administrators need to hire teachers qualified to teach Braille. With
solid Braille literacy skills taught by competent teachers, children who are
visually impaired will be able to reach their full potential and take their
place in American society.

The Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind teaches
sighted students lessons about Braille and blindness

About
four years ago Kirk Adams, Director of Public Relations and Resource Development
at the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, was searching for a disability awareness
program that would offer a positive perspective on blindness. Kirk Adams knew
that if he could approach young children--who are generally more open-minded
and accepting than adults--about the capabilities of the blind, he would be
able to gradually change public attitudes about the blind.

Enter the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation’s
oldest and largest organization of the blind.

Shortly before Mr. Adams began pondering how to go about educating
local school children on the subject of blindness, the NFB had developed such
a program called Braille Is Beautiful. Coincidentally, the purpose
of the NFB’s program (geared to sighted students) was very similar to the program
Mr. Adams had in mind. When Mr. Adams read about the unique program in the Braille
Monitor, the NFB’s monthly publication, he knew it was a match waiting
to happen.

That was four years ago.

Currently, Mr. Adams invites eighteen fifth-grade classes per
academic year to the Seattle Lighthouse for a discussion, a tour, and a snack.
“I’ve learned that you have to have the snack. It isn’t the most important element,
but it is a necessity.” Through a generous grant from Alaskan Copper & Brass
(a local company) he is able to purchase Braille Is Beautiful program
kits and distribute them in advance to each of the fifth-grade classes. The
kit comes complete with a curriculum instructional guide for teachers, workbooks
for the students, slates and styli, Braille alphabet cards, Braille paper, Kernel
Books (a collection of stories depicting the lives of ordinary blind people),
and much more. The class, under the instruction of their regular classroom teacher,
begins the Braille Is Beautiful program in their classroom. Then, the
class takes a field trip for a tour of the Lighthouse. A blind member of the
Seattle Lighthouse staff gives the students a presentation on Braille and assistive
technology for the blind. Misconceptions and misunderstandings about blindness
are addressed in a final question and answer segment.

Teachers, parent volunteers, and students complete the program
by writing reactions to the visit (students write their responses in Braille).
The following is a response from a fifth-grade teacher and a student participant
of the program. Their comments demonstrate the value of the program:

“The trip was well planned and organized. The students enjoyed
the variety of speakers… The students love writing in Braille. Some are trying
to do assignments in Braille… We would have liked to see more information regarding
laws and legislation for the blind because we could have easily tied it into
our social studies lesson.” -- Fifth-grade teacher

“Hello. Thanks for giving me a great time. I enjoyed sharing
stuff about blind people… Thanks for writing my name in Braille. My favorite
part was when Kirk [Mr. Adams] read the Harry Potter story in Braille.” --Fifth-grade
student

Mr. Adams’ approach to the Braille Is Beautiful program
is a model for success. Classes receive the kit before their scheduled visit
and continue to educate themselves about Braille and blindness once the program
is completed. Mr. Adams has worked diligently to fund the program so that the
school incurs zero cost (making it all the more appealing for teachers who may
be limited by tight budgets). Mr. Adams realizes the positive possibilities
of the Braille Is Beautiful program. He states:

“We plan on doing this for a long time to come. Our goal
is, looking ahead twenty years, to have one of our participants own his or her
own business or work in a personnel office that will be visited by a blind applicant
looking for employment. We would love for our applicant to look back on this
experience and realize that he or she learned that the blind are capable. The
end result would be an employment opportunity for a blind person that may not
have come about without experiences like the one we offer.” -- Kirk Adams

For more information about the Braille Is Beautiful
program, please contact:

For low vision students,
fluent Braille reading can be an effective, pleasant alternative to print
reading.

Braille literacy increases
opportunities for participation in the community.

Braille readers ARE
leaders when they use their literacy skills to serve others.

Studies show that Braille
skills established early in life increase the prospect for successful employment.

Who can enter:
Blind or visually impaired Braille readers from kindergarten through the twelfth
grade in the U.S.A. and Canada are eligible to enter the contest.

How can my
student or child enter? Submit an entry form electronically or
in print (see enclosed) at the conclusion of the contest. Preregistration is
not required. For details about submitting an entry form electronically, contact
us at BrailleReadersAreLeaders@nfb.org or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2361.

Categories:
There are six categories: grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12, and
Print-to-Braille. The Print-to-Braille category is for former or current print
readers who have just begun to read Braille independently. This includes formerly
sighted children who became blind after mastering print or partially sighted
print readers who are learning Braille while they continue to read some print.
Children who began to learn to read Braille at the same time as sighted peers
typically learn to read print (kindergarten or first grade) are not eligible
for this category.

Competition,
Awards, & Prizes: All contestants receive a certificate and
a ribbon in recognition of their participation. Other awards and prizes include:

TopTen Awards:
All contestants in grades K-12 may compete for this award which is
based upon the total number of Braille pages of extracurricular materials
read during the contest. (See the “Question and Answers--Rules of the Contest”
section for more details.) Sixty contestants, the top ten within each of the
six categories, receive a certificate, a cash prize of $25, and a special
winners t-shirt. There is no limit to the number of times an otherwise eligible
student may compete for this award.

Most Improved
Awards: A student is automatically considered for this award if he/she
participated in the previous year’s contest and has never won an award from
the contest. Ten students are selected based upon the greatest percentage
of improvement over his/her performance in the previous contest. These winners
receive a certificate, a cash prize of $25, and a special winners t-shirt.
A contestant may receive the Most Improved Award only once but may continue
to compete for other awards offered by the contest.

Honor Roll Ribbons:
These print-Braille ribbons are awarded to contestants who achieve
the following levels of pages read: 500+, 1,000+, 2,000+, 4,000+, 8,000+,
and 12,000+.

Schools for the Blind:
Schools for the blind that enroll students in the contest and promote the
program and Braille throughout the program period will receive a special certificate
suitable for framing and public display.

Braille Leaders
Community Service Awards: This award is restricted to students in
grades 6-12. Students who wish to compete for this award must fill out the
special entry form, read a minimum of 500 Braille pages during the contest
period, and submit a letter from someone in the community which describes
the outstanding service the student performed in the community during the
contest period. (See the special entry form for more details.) No fewer than
one and no more than five winners will receive a $50 cash prize, a special
t-shirt, and a certificate.

What is so
important about the Braille Leaders Community Service Award? This
award most closely reflects the ultimate mission of the contest. Braille literacy
enhances the ability of blind children to participate fully in the communities
in which they live. Furthermore, they may participate as leaders. We really
mean it when we say, “Braille readers are LEADERS.” An important characteristic
of leaders is that they serve others. Good Braille skills allow blind children
of all ages to demonstrate leadership through serving others. A first grader
can practice her new reading skills by reading a book to her baby brother. A
blind teen can take notes for his 4-H Club or read to lonely residents at a
community nursing home. The opportunities for service--if you are literate--are
endless. Our goal is not to teach kids how to read Braille so they will have
something to fill up an otherwise empty and meaningless existence. Our goal
is help all blind kids achieve a full, active life made even richer and fuller
through literacy.

Rules for the
Contest: All materials for the contest must be read between November
1 and February 1 of the following year (three months). See the “Questions and
Answers--Rules of the Contest” section for more details.

Certifying
Authority: The certifying authority is responsible for: (1) verifying
that the student read the Braille material listed and that the material was
read between November 1 and February 1; (2) completing and submitting the print
or electronic contest entry form in an accurate and timely fashion; and (3)
assisting the student in finding suitable extracurricular Braille books and
other materials to read for the contest. Teachers, librarians, and parents may
serve as certifying authorities.

Interviews:
The contestant, certifying authority, and/or parent may be contacted
for an interview if the contest judges have questions or need additional information
about an entry. Judges may, based upon the information available to them, adjust
the number of pages or disqualify a contestant. All decisions of the judges
are final.

Notification:
Certificates, ribbons, and a winners’ list will be mailed to contestants on
or about May 1. T-shirts and cash prizes will be mailed as soon as practical.

Questions
and Answers--Rules of the Contest
www.nfb.org/nfb/NOPBC_Braille_Readers_Are_Leaders.asp

1. When do I mail in the
contest entry form and reading log? We suggest that it be mailed by
February 15. Delayed or incomplete entries may cause the contestant
to forfeit the right to compete for top prizes. This year, the entry form may
also be submitted electronically. Contact us at (410) 659-9314, extension 2361,
or by email at BrailleReadersAreLeaders@nfb.org for details.

2. What if I didn’t know
about the contest until after it began? Can I still enter? YES.

3. If I enter late, can
I still count the Braille pages I have read since November 1? YES,
but only if your certifying authority can verify that you read those pages.

4. What constitutes a Braille
page? Each side of an embossed piece of paper is considered one page. If you
read both sides, then you have read two pages. This is true even if there are
only two Braille lines on one side.

5. Can I count Braille
textbooks or other materials (encyclopedia articles, transcribed worksheets,
etc.) that I am required to read for schoolwork? NO.

6. Can I count books that
I read for the Accelerated Reading Program? YES.

7. Can supplemental reading
books to beginning reading series be counted for the contest? YES.

8. Can I count title pages,
tables of content, Brailled descriptions of illustrations, etc.? YES.

9. What if I don’t finish
reading a book? Can I count the pages that I did read? YES.

10. Can I read the same
book more than once? YES, but only under the following conditions:
the student must be at an elementary (5th grade or below) reading level; no
book may be read more than three times; and the certifying authority must list
or otherwise clearly identify which titles have been read more than once, how
many times read (two or three), and indicate the number of Braille pages read
at each setting. Example: Frog and Toad 3x20 pages = 60 pages.

11. Can I read the dictionary?
NO. A Braille Menu? YES, but you must list the title of the
restaurant menu and, again, only whole pages count. Example: “Legal Sea Foods
Menu” 2 pages. Cookbooks? YES, same rule applies--the student
must read whole pages and must give the complete title of the book just as you
would any other book listed. How about the Bible or other religious
books? YES, of course. However, you must give a reference to
the book(s) of the Bible you read (i.e. Proverbs, Matthew, etc.) AND
you must read whole pages. Please do not give chapters and verses read. Acceptable--Bible,
Book of Job: 20 pages. Not acceptable--Psalms 8, 24, and 32.

12. I have to transcribe
books for my beginning reader. Most of these books have only a few words on
a page. If the print book has more pages than my Braille transcription, how
do I count pages for the contest? For the purposes of this contest, the number
of Braille pages counted per children’s picture book should never be less than
the number of print pages in that book. This is so even if the teacher has transcribed
the entire book onto one Braille page. To avoid confusion, we suggest that the
books be transcribed page for page, one Braille page for each print page, whenever
possible.

13. My student reads a
lot of electronic books with a refreshable Braille display. Are these eligible?
MAYBE. If so, how do we count Braille pages? Formatted files
with a .brf extension--for example, files from Bookshare.org and NLS Web Braille--will
have Braille page numbers in the file. These are acceptable. If you wish to
use other scanned or non-.brg formatted files for the contest, you must contact
the contest officials in advance for guidance and approval in how to determine
the Braille page count.

14. What if I want to Braille
other material for my student to read, such as recipes or instructions from
a manual? Can we count these? MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. The judges
must have enough information to satisfy any questions or concerns they may have.
For example: not acceptable--“chicken recipe,” 1 page; acceptable--Maryland
Driver’s Test Manual, 2005 edition, published by the Maryland Department
of Transportation, print pages 1-5: 12 Braille pages.

15. I have trouble finding
enough Braille material for my older students. Do you have any suggestions?
YES. The National Federation of the Blind has free Braille
materials suitable for blind youth, including recent issues of the Braille
Monitor magazine. To request a literature list (large print or Braille)
contact: National Federation of the Blind, Independence Market, 1800 Johnson
Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230; (410) 659-9314, extension 2216; eringlein@nfb.org.

16. Is this entry form
available on the Web site so that I can print out more copies? YES.
www.nfb.org/nfb/NOPBC_Braille_Readers_Are_Leaders.asp

CERTIFYING AUTHORITY:
Name _________________________________________________________________
the following is my [ ] home address [ ] work address
Address _______________________________________________________________
City State Zip ___________________________________________________________
It is best to contact me by: Email ___________________________________________
Phone ___________________________________ Best times to call _______________
Position: [ ] Parent [ ] Teacher [ ] Librarian [ ] Other

Please send certificate,
ribbon, and other awards or prizes to (CHECK ONE):
[ ] STUDENT at home address or [ ] CERTIFYING AUTHORITY

[ ] YES [ ] NO This student
is a dual print-Braille or a former print reader and the student started learning
Braille after first grade. If “yes,” then please list the approximate date or
grade in which the student began to learn Braille and use Braille. Please add
any comments that will help the judges determine if this student qualifies for
the print-to-Braille category.

Began to learn Braille:
_______________________Began to use Braille
for reading: _________________
Comments _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

This student attends:
[ ] public school [ ] private school [ ] a specialized school for the blind
[ ] homeschool

SCHOOL NAME ___________________________________________
City State ________________________________________________
Superintendent/Principal ________________________________________

OPTIONAL COMMENTS: We would
particularly like to know about additional disabilities or unique challenges
which have impacted this student’s study of Braille. We are constantly looking
for ways to improve the contest or add new programs to encourage Braille literacy.
This information will help us in this endeavor.

For information about how
to submit your entry electronically, please contact us at BrailleReadersAreLeaders@nfb.org
or call (410) 659-9314, extension 2361.

Students in grades 6-12
who wish to compete for this award must provide the following information as
soon as possible after February 1, 2007:

The regular contest
entry form with the list of Braille pages read for the contest. (Please note
that the student must read a minimum of 500 Braille pages to be eligible to
compete for the Braille Leaders Community Service Award.);

The Braille Leaders
Community Service Awards entry form (below); and

One or more letters
of nomination for the award.

The nomination letter(s)
should be no more than three typed pages, single-spaced, and should contain
a detailed description of the community service performed by the student, the
date or dates of the service performed, how the student demonstrated leadership
skills through this service project, and how Braille skills were employed or
useful to the student in the performance of the service. It must also contain
the name, address, phone number, and/or email address of the person writing
the letter. The relationship between the person writing the letter and the student
can be given in the letter or described in the form below. Parents and teachers
of the visually impaired may submit letters of nomination, but stronger weight
and consideration will be given to letters from others in the community who
know about, or benefited from, the student’s service.

(Note: We understand that
it may take a few weeks to assemble the information. However, the judges may
refuse to consider nomination letters received after March 1, 2007.)

Name of student __________________________
Grade ____________ State ___________
Number of Braille pages read ______________
Date(s) of community service ___________________________________________________
Number of letters of nomination enclosed (only one is required)
Comments or other information you would like to share ______________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Name and title of person
filling out this form (please print) _____________________________
Signature _________________________________________
Date ___________
Contact information: Phone _________________________________
Email _________________________________________________________

IDEA
Regulations Released

by Brandon Young

Editor’s Note: Brandon Young is a senior at
the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is majoring in political science with
a minor in philosophy, with plans to attend law school after graduation and
further training in blindness skills at the NFB Louisiana Center for the Blind.
During the summer of 2006, Young served as an intern at the National Center
for the Blind under James McCarthy in the governmental affairs department of
the NFB. Here is what he has to say about the release of the new IDEA regulations:

On August 3, the United States Department of Education (DOE)
held a ceremony to announce release of the final regulations for Part B of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, and the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB) was invited to attend. Jim McCarthy, director
of governmental affairs; Barbara Cheadle, president of the National Organization
of Parents of Blind Children; Brandon Young, intern, department of governmental
affairs; and Rachael Becker, a blind high school student from Maryland, attended
the event on behalf of the NFB. We learned that the final regulations will be
posted in the Federal Register on August 14, and will take effect sixty
days after that date.

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, Assistant Secretary
of the Office for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) John
Hager, and Director of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Alexa Posny, all spoke
at the meeting. Hager said that the department had received 5,500 responses
to the regulations and that this was likely the highest number of comments ever
received for special education regulations. The OSERS held two sets of public
meetings at which interested individuals could offer their opinions.

Hager said that approximately three-quarters of the Federal
Register document is a point-by-point analysis of the numerous public comments,
and the remaining one-quarter consists of the regulations and appendices. The
speakers emphasized that most of the proposed regulations were left unchanged
in the final document. The key point Secretary Spellings made, which the other
speakers echoed, was the importance of high expectations for students with disabilities.
They stressed that students with disabilities should be challenged to achieve
and should receive instruction from highly qualified teachers, a requirement
of No Child Left Behind.

Many people, including our readers and representatives from
the NFB, submitted comments last summer that expressed concerns about the implementation
of the new instructional materials provisions. Primary among those concerns
was the issue of guidelines for states choosing to opt-in or -out of using the
National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC). We said that there must
be a clear process for states and local education agencies (LEAs) to communicate
whether or not they are choosing to participate with the newly created Center
(NIMAC), and that this information be readily available to parents, advocates,
and other members of the public. The NFB also urged the department to require
that, as a condition for opting-out, the states and local agencies had to submit
data on how they planned to provide students accessible formats in a timely
manner. However, the department denied this latter request claiming that the
statute did not permit it to do so. But, the department did agree to make information
more publicly available and it has already published the annual list of states
participating and those not participating with the NIMAC on its Web site at
www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/monitor/nimac.html.

Once there was a chance for questions, Jim McCarthy vocalized
concern about the instructional material regulations, stating that there were
problems with the original proposal. Department officials expressed the view
that the final regulations were improved; although they conceded that Jim and
other advocates would probably not be completely happy. They finally stated
that the department would use its position as a “bully pulpit” to stress the
importance of students getting their Braille books and other nonvisually accessible
instructional materials on time.

Several individuals from a variety of organizations asked questions
and made comments about the new regulations, but the most inspiring and well-received
statements came from two young students. One was our own Rachael Becker. She
thought it was extremely important that department officials recognize how difficult
it is for students to do well in school when textbooks are late. She said that
there were times in her experience that she never received her Braille textbooks
at all. Department officials pledged to do all in their power to assure that
students received their textbooks at the same time as their peers and stated
that this was the goal of the new provisions.

It was a great experience to hear from the top ranking officials
of our education system. They told us that the regulations were improved from
the original proposal, and after reviewing them, I agree. They made what I hope
is a true commitment to our blind children, saying they would use their positions
to educate states and local districts to the importance of getting students
their textbooks on time. So now, we need to do our part and hold these officials
to their commitments. No other work we have done in the Federation is any more
important than this: to improve opportunities for blind elementary and high
school students to achieve future success.

Hear
Ye! Hear Ye!

NFB Independence Market

From Ellen Ringlein, manager, Independence Market, comes the
following announcement:

This summer and fall will bring some significant changes to
what was formerly known as the NFB Materials Center. First, there is the name
change. We are now called the Independence Market because we provide literature
as well as aids and appliances that enhance the independence of blind individuals.
We also have a new manager, me—Ellen Ringlein; I joined the staff in July. The
phone number is still the same: (410) 659-9314, extension 2216; and your call
will most likely be answered by a staff member whose name you will recognize:
Justin Shroyer, Philip Taylor, or Kandice Rose. We also have a new email address
which is independencemarket@nfb.org.

The physical store location of the Independence Market is changing
as well. We will soon have completed our move into our new space in the Jacobus
tenBroek Library in the Jernigan Institute. In this new area we will display
our free literature, which will rotate periodically. We will also have a beautiful
store area in which visitors can browse and shop for the aids and appliances
we have for sale.

The final change will happen behind the scenes. We are in the
process of getting a new inventory management system, which will streamline
how we process your orders. We hope that all these changes will improve the
service you will receive from the NFB’s new Independence Market.

An Overview of Planned Giving

Making a charitable gift is one of the most satisfying experiences in life.
Each year millions of people contribute their time, talent, and treasure to
charitable organizations. When you plan for a gift to the National Federation
of the Blind, you are not just making a donation; you are leaving a legacy that
insures a future for blind people throughout the country. Here are some of the
special giving programs available through the National Federation of the Blind.

Charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and
charitable lead trusts—income-generating gifts that allow the donor to make
a gift of cash or other property in trust now and receive income for life.

Planned giving through wills provides for a clear and specific
understanding about how you want to provide for the people and charitable
organizations important to you.

Gifts of life insurance allow donors to ensure that the National
Federation of the Blind will receive a death benefit that is larger than any
gift they could make during life.

Memorials and honoraria in memory of a departed loved one
or in honor of a loved one or a friend.

Gifts of appreciated securities generate a charitable deduction
of the gift’s market value while avoiding tax for appreciation.

Gifts of real estate receive many favorable tax advantages.
You may choose to make a deferred gift that allows you to use the property
for life while giving the NFB future interest.

The National Federation of the Blind is a service agency specializing in providing
the help to blind people that is not readily available to them from government
programs or other existing service systems. The services of the NFB are specially
designed to meet the needs of all blind people. By maintaining a widespread
campaign of public education, advocating for the rights of blind children and
their families, administering scholarship and mentoring programs for blind youth,
providing financial and other specialized assistance, conducting seminars on
blindness, evaluating and developing accessible technology, and providing information
and services to senior citizens so that they can adjust to vision loss and live
more accessible and independent lives, the NFB is changing what it means to
be blind.

We will be happy to provide you with further information about
the National Federation of the Blind or any of these giving opportunities. Please
call or write us at: National Federation of the Blind, Department of Outreach
Programs, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230; (410) 659-9314, ext. 2406;
outreach@nfb.org.